Chapter 895: Fight
When a battle of unimaginable intensity erupted twenty thousand meters beneath the ground, it did not take long for significant changes to ripple across the surface battlefield as well.
In a duel between high-level creatures, even a single unforeseen variable in one arena often triggered a cascading chain reaction, altering the broader situation like a line of falling dominoes.
The Astral Realm, however, never lacked such unexpected variables.
Every Rank Four creature with a calculating mind knew better than to be overly shaken by unforeseen events.
To be an exceptional individual, one must be able to minimize the adverse effects of such disruptions.
What Sein did not realize was that the tremors caused by the silver runes in the molten river had triggered changes across the Akre Plains battlefield.
At first, these changes were subtle, barely noticeable. But as time passed, they became increasingly apparent.
A massive silver array diagram, covering nearly one-tenth of the Akre Plains battlefield, gradually emerged.
While the lower-ranking creatures remained oblivious to its presence, Rank Four and above beings, especially the Rank Five Tower Master of Dark Flame, quickly sensed the shift.
Interestingly, the massive silver array diagram appeared right in the heart of Akre Plains, where the main legion of Magus World mages was.
The reckless assault of the three Rank Four creatures of Gumo Plane against the Divine Tower of Dark Flame’s mage formation was not merely an act of desperation to weaken the elite forces of Magus Civilization.
There was another purpose—to trap the Rank Five Tower Master of Dark Flame here.
The emergence of the silver array left little doubt; the latter was their main objective!
After all, inflicting heavy casualties on the Magus World’s elite mage legions would not alter the inevitable destruction of Gumo World.
However, sealing away the powerful Rank Five Tower Master of Dark Flame could give the Gumo Plane a sliver of hope for its civilization’s survival.
A low-level world was indeed pitiful. The Gumo Plane simply could not grasp the sheer vastness and strength of the Magus Civilization.
Even the fall of a Rank Five would barely make a difference in the outcome.
On the contrary, such an event would only serve to hasten the destruction of Gumo Plane’s civilization.
From the very beginning, this was never an equal war.
A special transmission had just reached the Tower Master of Dark Flame through the space fortress’ command center.
As the rest of the Magus world had speculated, the tower master was indeed a formidable Rank Five mage. However, he was not at the peak but rather in the late stages of Rank Five.
Yet, in the Magus World, life level and strength did not always align perfectly.
Who ever said that a late-stage Rank Five mage could not wield power comparable to that of a peak Rank Five?
The Tower Master of Dark Flame was a living example of this anomaly, shaped by his eccentric personality and unconventional upbringing.
Unlike most mages, he had chosen to construct his divine tower in a desolate, seemingly barren region—not due to a lack of foresight, but as a reflection of his solitary nature.
With few allies in the Magus World, isolation and remote places better suited his disposition and devotion to magic research.
“Oh? So the plan is to seal me away? No wonder, you seem so much weaker now, old man. Laying down such an extensive array imbued with the power of laws must have drained a considerable amount of your blood. Looks like that thing has helped all of you greatly in the absence of a new guardian. Otherwise, your activities would never have escaped my notice,” the tower master mused aloud, his tone a mix of mockery, curiosity, and icy indifference.
With a sneer, he added, “What a bountiful world Gumo Plane is. It’s been barely a year and a half since I killed the last guardian, and that thing even managed to mask its presence from my senses.”
The Guran Lizard God, now in his giant lizard form, which resembled a Rank Four dragon from the Magus World, was in a pitiable state.
Inextinguishable black flames clung to its body like maggots on decaying flesh, burning relentlessly.
Despite their divine powers and command over the power of laws, the three Rank Four gods of Gumo Plane had yet to find a way to counter these peculiar dark flames.
They were forced to slowly and painstakingly exhaust their source of power of laws to rid themselves of the flames.
Hovering opposite Guran Lizard God was the Moknu High Priest, who had to remove the flowing black mantle that cloaked him.
To the ordinary and low-level creatures on the battlefield, the Moknu High Priest appeared as a towering umbra elemental giant.
Yet under the discerning gaze of the Tower Master of Dark Flame, the Moknu High Priest’s genuine form was laid bare.
He was a frail old man with deeply wrinkled black skin and sunken eyes!
The High Priest had not always looked like this. Six months ago, he had still appeared as a strong, middle-aged man when he first faced Dark Flame.
In that short span of time, the price of opposing the tower master had consumed nearly all of his remaining lifespan.
Although Guran Lizard God appeared to be suffering the most visible torment, it was the Moknu High Priest who was truly closest to death.
In his heart, he had already accepted the inevitability of sacrificing his life to save Gumo Plane.
The third Rank Four creature, the Goul Groundworm King, had long burrowed deep underground.
The Moknu High Priest’s meticulously crafted plan could not be executed without its assistance.
Of the three native gods, the Goul Groundworm King was in the best condition, its remarkable vitality keeping it far from the brink of death.
The Tower Master of Dark Flame’s remarks only drew a dark smile from the Moknu High Priest. It was a twisted smile of triumph.
The Moknu High Priest certainly lacked the ability to kill Dark Flame outright.
Even if he sacrificed his life and harnessed every ounce of power the plane could muster, the three native gods of Gumo Plane could only seal the tower master away.
Nevertheless, if they could confine Dark Flame for tens of thousands of years—or perhaps even longer—it would be no different than killing him.
After all, eternal imprisonment and isolation were sometimes a fate worse than death.
The High Priest’s triumphant expression faltered when the tower master began to laugh.
This laugh was darker, colder, and more sinister than his own.
As the cackling echoed from beneath Dark Flame’s black hood, the Moknu High Priest’s confidence wavered.
“Do it!” the old Moknu High Priest shouted abruptly.
Without hesitation, he slammed his silver staff into the ground and plunged his skeletal hand deep into his own chest.