Chapter 572 The End of the Omniarch
The words didn't ring well in the Evil Body's ears. Throughout the Omniverse, Konrad aside, who dared disparage him so? It was high time he put down that hateful creature and reaffirm the sovereignty of his might!
"Dragon Warden, you have run amok for far too long. So long that you no longer understand that some people...you cannot offend! This Sovereign could kill you in the past, in the present, you still can't escape!"
The Evil Body bellowed, and alongside the Neutral Body, released the full might of their False Almighty strength! Before that might, even the Firmament trembled, shaken by an unprecedented eruption of force! But shielded by Konrad's presence, his forces didn't feel a thing.
Arms crossed behind his back, Konrad stepped forward. His peak-stage Devil Monarch cultivation base erupted, releasing its Quasi-Almighty strength. His 90 broken locks followed, releasing Firmament energies akin to the ones swirling in the Firmament Fruits! Of course, the scope was incomparably grander!
Faced with the might of those 90 locks and Konrad's cultivation, Evil and Neutral Bodies recoiled from one step, dwarfed by a strength threatening their hegemony. Konrad took a second step, and his Firmament Bloodline strength exploded, joining the two other sources of his unholy might in a resplendent trinity.
With the third step, his High Supreme Will kicked into gear, further magnifying the result. As Konrad's icy gaze nailed them, the two bodies felt as if the most dreadful of primordial beasts, the embodiment of all nightmares, stood before them, announcing their impending destruction!
Three steps and their momentum collapsed!
*BANG*
One moment, the two bodies' eyes still nailed Konrad, the next, ear-splitting cracking sounds resounded from their chests. By the time they registered the sounds, registered the pain, their bones burst, their chests caved it, and two symmetrical elbows sent them hurtling in the sky, before tumbling toward the ground!
Yet, Konrad still stood in his original position, arms crossed behind his back!
"False Almighty is just a made-up title. Because of it, you think you can keep your back straight before This Emperor? Conceited."
As Konrad's calm words echoed, the two's eardrums burst with blood erupting from their ears. By the time they tumbled onto the ground, their eyes widened in disbelief!
Konrad raised his right hand, causing a Tribulation Envoy to vanish from the nets and land before him. Without a second thought, he devoured the prey, adding its blood origins to his Myriad World Immortal lineage. In that instant, his bloodline finally obtained the one missing part, thereby fulfilling its true potential.
Again, Konrad's strength rose.
"Come, I give you three moves. If you can put some dust on my imperial robe, I can consider making you my new imperial eunuch."
The nonchalant tone and derisive look with which Konrad said those words pulled the Evil Body back on his knees. The Neutral Self followed suit. And as the two mutually reinforced one another, the Evil Self's sclera became a bright crimson.
"Innate Skill: Absolute Strength!
Innate Skill: Absolute Speed!
Innate Skill: Absolute Defense!"
The two bodies released their Absolute attributes, and shot toward Konrad! The Evil Body's right hand curved into a knife, chopping at Konrad's neck while the Neutral Body's hand became a claw aimed right at his Chthonian Devil Heart!
*BAM*
The chopping blow and claw strike that could have instantly sent a Quasi-Almighty into defeat stopped right against Konrad's flesh. It was as if an otherworldly force siphoned all the strength within the blows, leaving them no better than the average human toddler's all-out strike!
*BOOM*
From Konrad's body, the energy robbed from the two bodies' blows erupted, reversed with 10,000 times the might!
Shredded by the formless energy surge, Evil and Neutral Body flew backward, torn by unspeakable gashes! Their blood overflowed, rising into the firmament's sky, before tumbling in blood rain.
"Impossible...impossible...impossible!"
The Evil Body broke into maniacal screams! To him, power was his everything, how could he endure the sight of one he despised so effortlessly crushing him?! No, he couldn't, he wouldn'!
In that blood-frenzy, the Evil Body did something Regretless in his right mind would have never dared. As his formed hurtled down, he aimed his right hand at the Firmament's Sky and snarled:
"Tribulation Lightning!"
Tapping in their Omniarch Blood's strongest ability, the Evil Body released the most dreadful of tribulations imaginable, the Firmament's tribulation lightning! Jade haze gathered in the sky, with crackling lightning and grumbling thunderbolts!
Nine thunderbolts descended, striking Konrad with their full-force!
*BOOOM*
A deafening blast shook the world as the tribulation lightning struck its target, releasing a backlash that forced the two bodies and Regretless by Celestial Slaughter's side to spit large mouthfuls of blood! Their heartbeat quickened as they felt their very existence destabilized by this move!
But as Evil and Neutral Body floundered in the sky, with the evil one bursting into frenzied laughter, the clouds of smoke raised by their blow dispersed, revealing the unharmed form of Konrad, still standing in the sky with his hands crossed behind his back.
"Congratulations, you managed to put some dust on my imperial garb. However…"
Konrad began, as the Firmament's tribulation lightning brewed from his form, before erupting in nine bolts aimed at the Evil Body!
"...I'm not sure you will live to enjoy your rewards."
Another ringing blast and the nine jade thunderbolts struck the Evil Body with 10,000 times the might! The so-called Absolute Defense collapsed, and the Evil Body turned into a charred mess as he dropped onto the ground.
This time, he didn't find the strength to rise again!
Before this scene, the Neutral Body held his breath. Even Firmament Lightning couldn't dent his form! In this world, besides Omnipotence, what could harm him?
…
Meanwhile, Celestial Slaughter and the wounded Regretless observed the scene with rapt attention.
"What an unfortunate turn of event. I suppose it is time to end this little game. Regretless let's finalize the contract."
Celestial Slaughter began and flew into the sky, towering above Regretless with his eternal, false smile. With a wave of his hand, two figures appeared before Regretless, one male, one female. And if Konrad stood beside them, he could have recognized them without effort:
Highest Dragon and Divine Enchantress. Regretless' most beloved uncle and mother.
"You know the terms. In exchange for letting me refine your three bodies, I will send the two of them into reincarnation, binding their samsaras so that they may be husband and wife throughout eternity. At the same time, their Fate Standards will be altered so that they never again set foot on the cultivation road.
Mortal Kings and queen, ministers or wealthy merchants. So long as I reign, the cultivation world will never again affect them, and they will always live free and unfettered lives, 100 years of bliss throughout all incarnations."
Celestial Slaughter declared as the contract that made Regretless willing to surrender without a fight unfolded before his eyes. But though he'd willingly offered his life for this contract, Regretless' eyes ignored it, going between his long lost mother, and Highest Dragon.
Tears filled his crimson eyes.
The only time he'd met Divine Enchantress was on the day of her death, when, on Celestial Slaughter's command, the suppression formation that kept her prisoner for thousands of years ground her to dust.
To this day, he could recall the pain and helplessness he felt in that instant and the blind frenzy with which he unleashed his sorrow on all lives remotely connected to the Empyrean.
But finally, he had a chance to make it right. His eyes then locked on Highest Dragon, the uncle to whom he owed everything.
Perhaps the most vivid memory of Regretless' life, was the day Highest Dragon took him as his disciple.
"As the eldest prince of the dragon clan, how can you spend your days quivering and weeping like a waste?! Get up!"
"Imperial Uncle, what difference is there between a sealed bloodline and a waste? Also, no one acknowledges me as a prince."
"No one? What about me? Didn't I just acknowledge you? Or are the words of the great elder worth nothing to you?
So what if your bloodline is sealed? Can't you still cultivate? Who told you that without bloodline, there can't be achievements? Who told you if the world doesn't acknowledge your worth, you must prove them right?!
Your mother gave you the name Regretless so that you would be free and unrestrained! Are you trying to insult her memory?
Get up and follow me! Even if you are the toughest brick of this world, I will still make an expert out of you!
As the saying goes, master one day, father always. If anyone insults you, punch a hole in their face! If they strike back, I will tear off their hands and rip out their tongue!"
The scene replayed before Regretless, and for the first time in eons, his lips curved into a radiant smile.
With that smile, he waved his hand, making the Neutral and Evil Body vanish from the battlefield to reappear before him. But while the Evil Body lay broken, without the means to struggle, the Neutral Body thrashed against Regretless' suppression. Alas, to no avail!
"Regretless, why are they worth our lives? I don't understand! I can't accept this!"
The Neutral Body exclaimed as it fought the irresistible suppression. Regretless ignored it, and as his tear-drenched eyes locked on Highest Dragon's form, he rose into the sky, taking his final steps to sign the contract that'd end his existence.
For the first time in his life, Regretless felt incomparably light.
"Imperial Uncle, ultimately, I couldn't live up to your teachings, I couldn't be free and unrestrained. My heart is a crackled tower whose flawed foundations always near collapse. In truth, I've had enough.
At first, I wanted to prove to the world that you were right. Right to look after me, right to support me, right to stand by me despite all opposition. So I cultivated more than anyone else, I sought treasures and chances in all directions, became the number one of my generation, just so I could tell the world...that you were right.
Then you died."
As he reached that point, Regretless' voice broke, becoming a trembling of words mirroring his dripping tears and contrasting with his radiant smile.
"You died. So I wanted revenge. To become the strongest, I died. To soothe my hatred, I turned into a monstrous beast and did so many repulsive things, things you would only look down on. But since it all allowed me to reach this point, I have no regret.
To trade my worthless life for the two of you is my glory. I only hope that from now on, that freedom all men yearn for is yours...for eternity."
With those words, Regretless stopped before the contract, cut open his right palm, and stretched his bleeding hand toward the pact. But before his blood grazed it…
*BAM*
Celestial Slaughter balled up his fists, Highest Dragon and Divine Enchantress imploded, collapsing in dust particles before vanishing from existence, once and for all! The contract shattered, and Regretless' hand met thin air.
In that instant, his world collapsed.
Regretless wanted to ask why, to scream his grief, seize his father's neck and ask "Why?" But he couldn't. All strength vanished from his body, and as his mind collapsed, he trembled within the air.
At that time, the inconceivable occurred!
The Evil Body that should have been left powerless and the Neutral Body that remained silent leaped from the ground and - using Regretless' inward collapse - stabbed him in the back!
In that instant, they broke the link, destroyed his soul and seized the body, merging with it to finally become...Almighty!
Nothingness, Infiniteness, and All-Transcendence united in a brand-new will, an Almighty Will rippling with the power of Omnipotence! Seeing this, Celestial Slaughter curved his lips into a smile, and he vanished from the Firmament!
Without hesitation, Konrad led his forces, and they too vanished from the Firmament!
From within its hidden world, Shadow's eyes opened!
Shadow's second rule, Omnipotence is forbidden! Kaleidoscopic hands rose from all corners of the Firmament, trapping the newly ascended existence in their midst!
"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Faced with imminent destruction, without other recourse, the new Almighty self-destructed, ruining its own Almighty Will to trigger an omnipotent blast that tore everything across the Firmament to shreds!
Without a body, Shadow was just True Almighty level. The omnipotent blast would undoubtedly take it down with it.
And it did!
With the Firmament's destruction, Shadow too perished, collapsing alongside the new Almighty in that one omnipotent blast.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
"Now this is what I call a firework."
Celestial Slaughter approved as he watched this scene from above.