The aura of Cersis had diminished, but for White Plague, it still felt overwhelmingly crushing. The disparity in attribute values was staggering: if the difference exceeded thirty points, it resulted in a crushing defeat; over fifty points meant death in a single blow. Right now, Bai Yi faced a difference of two hundred in strength.
Cersis moved. Even weakened, White Plague struggled to track his movements. A chilling sense of danger washed over him as a massive cylinder, towering over ten meters, appeared behind Bai Yi.
Beep, beep.
Without hesitation, Bai Yi detonated the flame-type intercontinental missile. He had only brought five of these, as modifying them for manual detonation was tricky. A space ring full of missiles would have been ideal, but this would have to do.
White light engulfed Bai Yi's back, and the oppressive threat loomed closer.
Clang!
The sickle sliced through the missile effortlessly. Just as the cutting light aimed for Bai Yi's back, a powerful explosion erupted between them, fueled by the destruction of one of the missile's explosive crystals. Flames roared to life, cutting off the deadly sword light and engulfing them both.
A small mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
Rumble.
The sound finally reached Bai Yi as a shockwave radiated outward, demolishing nearby structures. The intense heat melted the ground, forming high-temperature crystals. The explosion's diameter stretched seven kilometers, leaving charred remains in its wake.
Pu Sheng was hurled backward by the shockwave, his aura flickering with disaster as he struggled to regain his footing. "What the hell? Don't you even announce your moves before using them?"
He peered through the dissipating white light, watching as houses crumbled and trees withered, igniting into dust from the extreme heat.
"Stop complaining. He's using his trump card. If we don't act now, we're all dead!" a cold voice shot back. A beam of black light surged forward through the shockwave, gathering momentum as dark flames flickered around it.
"It's none of your business!" Pu Sheng snapped, his aura of disaster intensifying. He summoned a pair of scarlet eyes, and from the gray mist emerged an eight-meter-tall winged black tiger, charging fearlessly into the flames.
As gray crystals rained down, bringing color to the fading white light, cracks began to form in the protective scroll provided by Eric. The gap between their strengths was overwhelming; Cersis needed to be weakened, or White Plague would feel utterly hopeless.
Cersis, scarlet from the blast, remained unyielding against the shockwave. The ancient god's sickle glowed ominously as Bai Yi felt an evil aura envelop him. Tentacles sprouted from his skin as he surged forward, shield intact.
Clang!
The shield, once thought impenetrable, began to shatter, allowing Bai Yi to close the distance to the ancient god. Looking up at Cersis, he felt like an ant beneath the gaze of a giant, the chill of impending doom creeping down his spine.
The flames began to eat away at his mental shield as he extended a twisting white mask toward Cersis' face.
Cersis' eyes narrowed, instinctively raising his leg.
Bang!
With an agility advantage of over a hundred points, Cersis kicked Bai Yi squarely in the chest. The azure mental shield shattered instantly, and though Bai Yi's spirit was formidable, the blow sent him hurtling through the air, his health plummeting.
But the shield had granted him a singular opportunity. A-031 rushed toward Cersis, tentacles unfurling to imprint the mask on the god's face.
Bai Yi twisted with all his strength.
Clang!
The pain was immediate and severe. Triple damage to his soul, mind, and body made him break into a cold sweat. His right ear, shoulder, and hand were severed, and he landed amidst the scorching ground, his health dwindling to 20%.
One strike—not even aimed at a vital area—had almost killed him. As the panel had warned, even a dead god was still a god.
Yet, the mask began to take effect. Tentacles pushed through Cersis' flesh, twisting and writhing as the mask strained against his power, recovering even as it fought.
Cersis looked down at White Plague and raised a foot to stomp down hard.
Roar!
Clang!
Suddenly, a dagger appeared from behind Cersis, stabbing deep into his side. Sensing the imminent threat, he pushed off the ground, spinning with the sickle extended.
An arc of blinding light slashed through the air.
Roar!!!
The roar of the giant beast cut off abruptly as blood spattered onto the scorched earth, a bloody mist rising and spreading through the battlefield.
Cersis, having spun around, dropped his foot with a thunderous boom! The ground cracked and splintered, sending shockwaves outward as crystals shattered beneath the god's weight.
The winds finally cleared the missile's flames, revealing the ancient god's figure. White Plague was nowhere to be seen; Cersis' kick had missed.
"Thank you," Bai Yi murmured as the Magneto Mechanical Body lifted him up. His missing shoulder and arms rapidly grew back, tentacles filling the void as he drank a potion, his health recovering.
Bai Yi hadn't expected to survive this encounter, but the demon's essence and blood had saved him.
"No, I didn't foresee this god's strength," Charles said, relief evident in his tone. The odds had shifted; they now had the means to defeat him.
White Plague glanced at Cersis, who returned the look with a disdainful gaze. "Ant."
Though he typically disdained mortal speech, Cersis felt threatened enough to engage. Slowly, he raised his hand, grasping the Embrace of Pain, exerting pressure.
In that moment, the Embrace twisted violently, still consuming the ancient god's soul. If it could devour him, great power could be attained.
"Kill him while he's weakened," Bai Yi urged, his health now above 50%.
Buzz!
A mechanical hum filled the air as a massive mechanical body, over seventy meters tall, descended, its fist aimed at the god with overwhelming force.
Cersis halted his assault on A-031, raising his sickle to meet the challenge.
Clang!
The sound of steel clashing echoed as the sickle sliced through the mechanical giant, cleaving it in two like it was nothing. Yet, despite the destruction, the colossal fist continued its descent toward Cersis.
Boom!
A deafening hum resonated as the already fractured ground sank beneath an overwhelming force. A shockwave, rivaling the might of a missile explosion, surged outward. The mechanical giant shattered, sending magnetic bodies plummeting into the searing heat, while the remaining constructs regrouped high above.
Cersis, now visibly weakened yet still formidable, bore wounds that, while noticeable, were far from grievous. His gaze swept the battlefield, searching for Bai Yi, but instead, he was met by a massive mechanical cone rushing toward him.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The metallic clinks echoed ominously, causing the god's pupils to contract in alarm. This cone, forged from countless magnetic bodies, gathered momentum through a series of collisions, with each mechanical unit contributing to an escalating force. As it hurtled forward, the lead unit glowed red, the air around it shimmering under intense heat.
Even if the cone were to halt, the 200,000 mechanical bodies at its tip would be rendered scrap. In this reckless pursuit of destruction, Bai Yi prepared for a catastrophic blow.
The first cone-shaped mechanical body collided with Cersis, exploding in a thunderous eruption that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground. The violent blast engulfed the god, creating a crater littered with debris.
With the dust settling, Bai Yi raised his hand, orchestrating the gold-eating bugs into formation. This tactic, one of sheer annihilation, showcased White Plague's expertise. If only he had more resources, he mused, he could obliterate any foe—physical or otherwise.
Hundreds of minuscule cones materialized in the air, each containing over three million gold-eating bugs. Their magical properties would amplify their destructive potential far beyond that of mere mechanical bodies.
Roar!
A primal growl erupted from the smoke, drawing Bai Yi's attention. Cersis was merging with an ominous energy, his power surging dangerously. Bai Yi's heart sank as the god's health bar flickered before him.
[Cersis, HP: 67%.]
[Cersis, HP: 58%.]
[Cersis, HP: 43%.]
[Cersis, HP: 30%.]
Bai Yi's resolve hardened. Despite Charles's strength, he needed to focus. He cast a fleeting glance at Pu Sheng, who was slumped against the shattered terrain, fatigue etched across his face.
The smoke cleared to reveal a swirling energy field of darkness and scarlet, blocking the path of Bai Yi's gold-eating beetles. Was it Charles or Cersis who would suffer from this onslaught? An unsettling wave of danger washed over him as the health bar continued to plummet.
[Cersis, HP: 20%.]
[Cersis, HP: 12%.]
With the stakes escalating, Bai Yi knew he had to finish this. The metallic rhythm of death resonated as he locked onto Cersis, commanding the five gold-eating insect cones to accelerate toward their target.
Buzz!
[Cersis, HP: 0%.]
Bai Yi raised an eyebrow—had he truly succeeded?
Buzz!
[Cersis, HP: 100%.]
Bai Yi's heart sank. It seemed the true battle was only just beginning.
The sky shifted from scarlet to a deep, ominous red.
[The ancient god Cersis has entered the second stage. ??? The ancient god's domain has been strengthened. You will lose 8% of your health and sanity every second. The evil thoughts collection is exempt from sanity deduction.]
A pulse of raw power erupted from the battlefield.
Boom!
The darkness recoiled, and Charles, now a blur of motion, crashed into the ground, sending shockwaves that rippled outward. The earth trembled as the ancient god's form twisted grotesquely, his ribs jutting out, revealing a skeletal frame.
The massive sickle in his grasp expanded ominously, the blade now longer than before, its edge shimmering with lethal sharpness. Cersis's mask had vanished, revealing scarlet eyes that glinted with bloodthirst. Yet, as those eyes closed momentarily, a deeper force suppressed their rage.
"Ants, even with divine aid, you remain ants," he rasped, his voice a guttural threat as he loomed over Charles, sickle poised to strike.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The metallic rhythm surged again. Cersis, caught off guard, swung his sickle defensively. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, but the ancient god was forced back, carving deep furrows into the earth.
Ding!
The rhythm persisted as Charles pressed forward, his presence a defiant challenge to the god's might. Cersis struggled to regain his footing, but the miniature cones shot past him, embedding themselves like knives into the ground.
With a surge of power, Charles unleashed a dagger into his chest, a move both desperate and calculated. The surrounding darkness thickened, and he was momentarily enveloped in a shroud of shadows.
"Every boss has a second stage," he declared, determination flashing in his eyes.
And so the battle raged on, the stakes higher than ever.