Chapter 420 - 420: Breakdown
The Monarch did not like that one of its two prey had escaped its stomach.
Raising one of its tentacles high, it swept downward. The attack was so intense it carried the same inertia as a falling meteor.
Michael acted on instinct, altering the form of Heaven's Judgment into a shield.
When the tentacle struck him, it hurled him toward the ground like a ragdoll, shattering the terrain beneath him.
A sharp gasp escaped Michael's lips, his eyes locking onto the towering figure of the Monarch.
The alien had swallowed Ruby in one bite, without causing external or internal harm to her.
Inside the creature's stomach, Ruby still had to be alive, likely for at least a few minutes.
"I have to…"
The hand with which Michael had held Heaven's Judgment was broken, refusing to obey his orders.
Using his only functioning arm, he buried Devil into the ground beneath him, using the soul weapon like a crutch to move forward.
His limping arm trailed behind him, leaving a trail of crimson blood.
Michael wasn't able to get very far. The Monarch noticed he was still moving.
It raised another tentacle before bringing it down like a guillotine of death.
The kilometer-long limb was wider than a person could reasonably dodge in time.
Cursing, Michael repositioned Devil sideways, using the sword as a makeshift shield, since he was unable to use Heaven's Judgment.
When the tentacle struck down, the very foundation of the hollow valley fractured, sending tremors akin to an earthquake.
Deep cracks spread in spiderweb patterns.
Michael lay underneath the Monarch's tentacle, having taken the full brunt of the blow.
His heartbeat slowed to a crawl.
His energy faded, reaching its limit. The sword began to shudder.
Devil started to melt into a liquid form, unable to sustain any physical presence.
The fluid streamed downward.
Flowing into Michael's body, it mixed with his internal organs exposed to the outside air.
"..."
Tiredly, Michael blinked slowly, looking around.
He found himself in a gray space, with walls and ceilings stretching far beyond what he was able to perceive.
Other than himself, he perceived two things.
The first presence was a formless light that radiated a mesmerizing golden color. It was oddly soothing, yet still too weak to create any sort of impact.
The second presence was a familiar, two-and-a-half-meter silhouette.
Standing tall, Devil stared at Michael with his singular black pupil.
The two silently gazed at each other.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Devil's lips parted.
"Why?"
It was the first time Devil had expressed such raw anger.
"Why didn't you heed my advice? You just had to remain and fight a losing battle, didn't you? So what if innocents die?! What does that have to do with us?!"
Clenching his fists, Devil stepped closer.
"Just because you're a bit more powerful than others and know a few tricks doesn't mean you have to constantly prioritize everybody! Let them die! Everyone can be replaced! If you can train one group, you can train many more!"
His voice grew louder.
"You are a Regressor, and so what?! Did your power and knowledge just fall into your lap, gifted by some bored, pretentious god?"
Devil laughed.
"No! You struggled for everything you achieved! Everything you have comes from your own effort… You don't owe anything to anyone, and no one is entitled to your sacrifice! Then why go out of your way to help them? You are free to ditch them. To live your life as you choose, and no one can judge you for putting yourself first!"
Devil paused deliberately.
"Why are you still fighting?!"
Michael stared at his soul weapon.
"If I don't… then who would?"
He spoke slowly.
"Don't mistake me for a naive righteous hero. For those I care about, I am ready to burn the whole world down. Every action I have taken follows the path I choose to live. From the very beginning, I have lived on my own terms. The idea of a solitary life without anything to cherish… is no existence at all."
Michael's eyes remained unwavering. Rage that surpassed even his soul weapon's anger overwrote his rational thinking.
"What is dear to me is mine… You hear me?! Mine! Regardless of the pain I have to endure, no matter the cost, I would never let it be taken away!"
Meeting his gaze, Devil realized the bane of his Master's existence.
"That's not fair."
Michael barely managed to suppress his laughter.
"As if the universe is."
"..."
Devil was unable to retort.
His body shuddered violently.
In that moment a window flashed before Michael's eyes.
[Devil has evolved!]
[Rank: Mythic → Supreme]
[Quest Devil's Manhood: Completed!]
[Distributing Reward]
[An eternal loyalty bond is formed between you and your soul weapon.]
[Eternal loyalty bond]
[Description: The ultimate form of loyalty. This bond allows the souls of different individuals to merge at will, sharing memories, emotions, consciousness, techniques, abilities, and limitations.]
Back in the physical world, Devil was fully absorbed by his Master's physique.
Abruptly, Michael's body, still lying beneath the massive tentacle, began to transform. His spine protruded from his back and his limbs elongated.
Growing taller, he passed the two-meter mark, reaching two and a half.
The veins beneath his skin swelled, nearly becoming wider than a human's finger.
His eyes shifted into a bottomless black, as if absorbing all nearby light.
The Hreh'tar spawn that had lingered in his body withered and died under the intensity of the change.
The pain was unbearable.
With his mouth reconstructed, Michael's lips parted, trying to scream.
But no cry managed to escape his throat.
Meanwhile, the Monarch, content with the extermination of the two pests, shifted its gaze toward Eleanora. The alien knew the Lord had been the one who clouded its senses and intended to make her regret that mistake.
However, before it could move, its tentacle suddenly began to be lifted upward… not by its own accord, but by an outside force that vastly overpowered it.
"Give her back…" Michael's tone was cold, laced with uncontrollable rage. "Give me Ruby back."
He stood unfazed by the Monarch's aura, his focus entirely consumed by a single desire so intensely that he didn't notice the windows that clouded his vision.
[Transformation completed…]
[Demonic form.]