"Daughter of Trigon!"
Jericho exclaimed in astonishment and anger, "Are you truly betraying your own father?"
Yuri, who was nearby, was immediately taken aback upon hearing this.
So, this guy just referred to that goth girl as the Daughter of that Trigon? Could it be that the person they've been searching for all along is actually a runaway princess from the enemy's camp? The daughter of an evil deity?
Is the entire chain of events today just some interdimensional divine soap opera of family dynamics?
But that doesn't make sense, does it? Would they really send demons to hunt down a princess who simply ran away from home? Moreover, as the daughter of an evil deity, Raven's displayed power seems quite mismatched with her status.
Exhausting her strength after defeating a few minor demons, only to be easily captured by Jericho's eerie grasp – can this really be considered the offspring of an evil deity? Think of the other divine descendants Yuri knows about – not to mention Wonder Woman, even Cassie is the daughter of Zeus, and her displayed strength rivals, if not surpasses, that of Superboy.
These thoughts, as quick as lightning, flashed through Yuri's mind, only to be set aside in an instant.
In the midst of the scene, Raven's dark hand was about to seize Jericho, but suddenly a blood-red energy barrier appeared around him, blocking the colossal dark hand.
The two energies clashed, mutually canceling each other out.
"I have already received the blessings of the Trigon. The soul magic you've learned is utterly insignificant compared to the divine power of the Trigon!"
Jericho arrogantly laughed, "The noble blood of the Trigon flows within you. Your duty is to bring forth Trigon into this world. You can never escape your fate!"
"Indeed, it seems even that girl can't contend with the power of this trigon god…"
Yuri furrowed his brow. He had hoped that the arrival of reinforcements would allow them to take down Jericho in one swoop, but now it seemed that he had underestimated the situation.
"Darn it, can't break free from these disgusting tendrils!"
Even though Jericho's control over Superboy's body and the blood tendrils had diminished significantly as his focus shifted to Raven, the binding force of the malevolent power of Trigon remained relentless. Escaping from it was far from simple.
Even Intangibility, one of Raven's forms, was rendered completely ineffective.
"Merely a bit of power given to his underling by the Trigon, yet it has led me into such a predicament…"
From the moment he had acquire the seemingly insignificant omnitrix till now, only this time had Yuri felt truly helpless for the first time. The power exhibited by the Superboy under Jericho's control had far exceeded Yuri's prior estimations of Conner's capabilities.
Regardless of the samples Yuri used – whether Four Arms, Diamondhead or Speedstar – none of them could penetrate Superboy's defenses.
Even the one girl that was said to be the daughter of the evil God seemed utterly powerless against the malevolent force of this Trigon.
Despite his reluctance, Yuri could only acknowledge that if he ever encountered similar foes again, he had only two options.
First, to flee with the speed of a Speedstar. Second, to await the rescue of the Justice League or any other superheroes.
But would these two plans even be effective? In Conner's soul space, Jericho's words made Yuri contemplate broader implications.
The Trigon was an extradimensional evil god coveting Earth. It might be similar to Marvel's Dormammu or something similar – unable to directly manifest within the material universe and needing alternative methods to reach Earth.
Moreover, it seemed that the daughter of the Trigon was closely linked to its impending arrival.
If Yuri don't prevent Jericho from taking Raven away, or if the Justice League's rescue arrived too late, what if that evil God actually descend upon Earth? Even someone unfamiliar with DC would recognize the term "evil God" as no trifling matter. If the Justice League were to be defeated by the Trigon, what would become of Earth?
In that scenario, where could Yuri possibly find refuge?
Alright, his thoughts were spiraling a bit too far at the moment, but the underlying truth remained unchanged.
"I must unlock the DNA samples quickly. With a people like Superman at hand, what do I have to fear from the likes of this Trigon?"
Yuri's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, though the outside world only experienced a brief moment.
Jericho's words seemed to strike a nerve in Raven's heart, and the flames of anger on her face could no longer be concealed.
"Noble? The thought that half of my blood comes from him makes me sick to my stomach!"
Raven spread her arms, her robes billowing as if caught in an unseen wind. Enormous soul energy surged from within her, forming a gigantic raven-shaped phantom that nearly occupied half of the soul space.
"You know nothing about my power!"
"Jericho, I will banish you to the underworld, never to set foot on Earth again. A deceased soul like yours should find proper rest!"
Under Raven's command, the phantom raven instantly engulfed Jericho.
A blood-red malevolent power enveloped Jericho's entire body.
"No, I possess the mighty power of the Trigon; you cannot harm me!"
The sudden turn of events sent Jericho into panic. He shouted, his voice growing louder in an attempt to bolster his courage.
"From beginning to end, you fail to understand – I don't even need to harm you."
Raven's tone was calm, followed by Jericho's complete immersion into the phantom raven's depths, leaving no trace of him behind.
Subsequently, the phantom raven swiftly contracted, eventually disappearing into Raven's body.
And now, the scene bore no trace of Jericho's presence.
'...Truly worthy of being an evil deity's daughter.' Uriah withdrew his shallow judgments and clicked his tongue inwardly.
That was a swift execution of Jericho!
Crack, crack, crack!
At that moment, the blood tendrils that had bound Yuri began visibly petrifying at an astonishing rate, eventually crumbling into dust.
The blood wall that had confined Conner's fist was no exception.
Yuri floated over to Raven, albeit wearing his invisibility mucous suit, which still left him with a somewhat disheveled appearance. However, he doubted he would be mistaken for an enemy.
Raven was half-kneeling, gasping heavily, sweat dripping down her face, and her chest heaving.
She looked just like an out-of-shape college student after running a kilometer – clearly, dealing with Jericho had expended a considerable amount of her strength.
"Um... are you alright? Thank you for saving Conner and me..."
Yuri was about to express his gratitude to Raven when she suddenly went pale and collapsed, falling unconscious once again.
'She just woke up not long ago, and she used what little strength she had left to banish Jericho? Why didn't she escape first? Could it be that she did it to save others, disregarding her own safety?'
A peculiar thought arose in Uriah's mind. 'An evil deity's daughter acting like this is really out of the ordinary.'
"...Conner, I'll take this girl and leave first. You carefully check yourself for any discomfort."
Without looking back, Yuri addressed Conner, then scooped up Raven and himself, rendering them both invisible, and phased out from within Conner's body.
Upon emerging, Yuri immediately spotted Starfire and Beast Boy, covered in wounds, their faces wary as they stared at the motionless Superboy hovering in midair.
Once Yuri explained the situation to the two, Conner had just reconnected his soul with his body.
The group returned to the location of Tim and Nightwing, and together they made their way back to Titans Tower.
°°°
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