Chapter 37: Burning Cursed Energy (Patreon)

Haru felt he was in an excellent state right now—perhaps better than ever before.

If others saying they were "filled with power" was just an illusion, then for him at this moment, it was real.

A terrifying force surged forth like a bursting dam!

At this moment, he felt every cell in his body was filled with immense power. With every move, he could cause mountains to collapse and the earth to split.

Even the towering, powerful Heretic God now seemed merely a strong opponent in his eyes, no longer an entity before which he was utterly powerless.

Of course, this terrifying power of his came at a cost, which was—

Burning up the cursed energy stored within the large disc!

That's right. By burning the cursed energy accumulated over a year, he could exchange it for a temporary, explosively increased strength.

This power was dozens... even hundreds of times greater than before.

In his current state, even without using Qinggong (lightness skill), his body could move through the air.

Every strike possessed destructive force capable of shattering mountains and splitting the earth. Even Melqart had become his "punching bag."

Doesn't this situation feel familiar?

Actually, it's quite simple. It's similar to the application method of the "Eight Gates Released Formation." In xianxia terms, it's like the "Heavenly Demon Dissolution Technique." His version could be called the "Burning Cursed Energy State."

It stimulates potential, greatly increasing the user's power.

But after use, the user suffers backlash, with severely reduced physical functions or even death.

However, for Haru, the cost is emptying the cursed energy in the large disc. It doesn't pose much harm to himself.

At most, it means the absorbed and stored energy is gone, and he'll be very tired after the battle. There aren't other costs or side effects.

So, in a way, he is currently equivalent to the Sect Leader... though perhaps his combat skills and experience are inferior, at least his cursed energy can reach the level of a God-Slayer for a short time.

Using the "Flying Phoenix Twelve Divine Palms" modified by the Sect Leader, he could unleash a burst of attacks that severely injured Melqart.

It's a pity that Heretic Gods aren't undeserving of their fame. If it were anyone else, they would have been completely finished long ago. But gods are, after all, gods, especially a God-King like Melqart.

High strength, high defense, massive health pool.

Moreover, his will is firm, his fighting spirit is high; he isn't someone easily dealt with.

If Heretic Gods were so easy to kill, there wouldn't be only a handful of God-Slayers in this world.

But hope is right before his eyes, victory is within reach. Melqart has been severely injured by Haru's combo!

However, while the fight felt satisfying, his body was genuinely tired.

After all, using this terrifying power placed a serious strain on his body, as if he were constantly carrying an invisible mountain while moving.

Fortunately, after a year of tempering and consuming various rare treasures, he could at least endure it for a short while.

Haru's plan and intention were simple. Plan A was to go all out, take down one Heretic God in one burst, then deal with the other.

If that plan failed, then he would, like Kusanagi Godou in the original story, find an opportunity to steal the Heretic God's authority and then kill it.

It seems now that Plan A is proceeding smoothly. Melqart is at the end of his rope.

[O Chaser! O Banisher! Ba'al the Cloud-Rider calls upon you! You shall speed forth, speed through the air, sweep all away!]

Naturally, Melqart wouldn't just wait for death.

Amidst his roar, the two giant clubs flew out from the void.

The Chaser and the Banisher—his sacred weapons.

Then, to control his loyal weapons, Melqart chanted a spell and brandished them. A storm and lightning arose; a powerful gale, with the force of a tornado, blew from the sea. Even distant stone and steel-reinforced buildings creaked and groaned.

The earth rumbled, countless debris flying everywhere.

Lightning fell incessantly from the black clouds, scorching the land one after another.

The first club, the Chaser, imbued with a gale, could fly freely in all directions—up, down, left, right, east, south, west, north—attacking from every angle and direction as a swift wind.

The second club, the Banisher, imbued with lightning, continuously released bolts into the sky to restrain.

Or it emitted intense heat capable of charring everything to cinders. Although its attack trajectory was simple, it was extremely fast, possessing the speed of lightning after all, seeking gaps to break through.

Facing this dying counterattack from the Heretic God, Haru in the air seemed like a lone boat in a storm.

But while Melqart's attacks were fast, Haru's movement speed was even faster!

The power he erupted with even began to distort space, as if breaking through spatial limitations. He passed through the dense barrage of attacks and arrived directly in front of Melqart.

[What!?]

Then, a giant palm formed by the blood-steam slammed into him with mountain-like force.

[Urgh— Gwahhh!]

Melqart cried out loudly as he fell from the stormy sky towards the ground once again. The berserk giant god didn't fall in a disgraceful manner; he managed to land on both feet.

But his injuries had become even more severe.

[O Chaser! O Banisher! Return to my hands!]

Even so, as a Heretic God and the King of Gods, Melqart would naturally not admit defeat. Instead, with a mad fighting spirit, he recalled his weapons and confronted him head-on.

Wind, thunder, and lightning danced wildly across the sky. The large and small figures continued to clash amidst this apocalyptic battlefield!

A dragon form, shaped from the blood-steam, descended from the sky with fierce momentum, striking directly toward Melqart.

On the ground, Melqart flexed his robust muscles and simultaneously let out a loud "Oryaaaah!" shout, blocking this heavy blow with a swing of his giant hand.

BOOM—

The shockwave swept out. Behind the Heretic God, struck by an unstoppable force, the mountain range was shattered to pieces.