Chapter 154: If You Want to Strengthen Defenses, Directly Worshipping Qlipoth Is Comparatively More Reliable
〜One Punch Man World〜
"…How is this possible?! How did she—how did she survive?"
Inside the Hero Association Headquarters, Superalloy Darkshine, his eyes wrapped in bandages, stared dumbfounded at the screen.
The explosion that had just unfolded on the light screen had scorched the eyes of nearly 90% of the heroes. Post-event, according to Child Emperor's calculations, the energy unleashed was equivalent to that of an asteroid impact.
—But that wasn't the focal point. The true astonishment lay in how Phantylia had effortlessly compressed this immense power within her grasp, as if toying with a delicate glass orb. She manipulated it at will, unleashing billions of years of planetary destructive energy in mere seconds.
In the aftermath… Child Emperor never publicly released the full calculations. He simply stood alone, gazing blankly at the long string of numbers on the screen for a prolonged period.
The blinding flash of the explosion had likewise seared Darkshine's eyes, but fortunately, the Hero Association's medical technology was exceptionally advanced. S-Class Heroes like him had their crystalline lenses repaired in under ten minutes.
Yet, the very next second, when he saw Stelle leading the others emerge from the swirling steam, Darkshine's jaw dropped so far it nearly shattered the floor.
Why?!
Why? Baby? Why?
She didn't possess the gleaming, powerful muscles he did, so how could she withstand an explosion capable of reducing a person to ash?
Even if it were just Stelle… why were the Astral Express crew and Jing Yuan behind her also completely unharmed?!
Could it be… could the training regimen he had faithfully believed in all this time be flawed? Was the key to perfect defense not in cultivating one's muscles after all?
Darkshine trembled violently.
It was as if something he had painstakingly built was quietly collapsing…
Atomic Samurai, also in the medical bay for eye treatment, spotted Superalloy Darkshine. He greeted him, but received no response. Approaching closer, he realized the colossal hero's eyes were vacant, his body trembling—a picture of utter defeat.
"Well… is it because of Stelle?"
Atomic Samurai immediately guessed the reason. After all, upon witnessing Jingliu's divine technique, he himself had felt as if decades of his swordsmanship had been for naught, and his expression at the time had been no better than Darkshine's.
For this, he was willing to offer some "senior" guidance.
"If you seek near-perfect defensive power, Darkshine, you might consider believing in that…"
Atomic Samurai pointed towards the faint, protective glow emanating from Stelle,
"Qlipoth… if He were to cast His gaze upon you."
—
「 "All things in the cosmos shall ultimately conclude in 『 Destruction 』. 『 Abundance 』 and 『 Hunt 』 are no exceptions…"
The shattered astral shell peeled away into a myriad of burning embers, transforming the entire Ambrosial Arbor's roots into a swirling sea of molten fire. Yet, within this inferno, a single domain remained shrouded in white steam, and as the vapor gradually dissipated…
—The Blazing Lance was revealed!
"Well said. And what about 『 Preservation 』?" Stelle raised her spear in her right hand, its tip aimed directly at Phantylia's brow.
Perhaps too much attention had been drawn by Jing yuan, for only now did the Antimatter Legion's Lord Ravager, Phantylia, detect the peculiar aura emanating from Stelle—it was not the arrowhead of The Hunt, but… Qlipoth's Gaze!
A flicker of miscalculated fury crossed Phantylia's brow. In this very moment, her outward appearance was also undergoing a drastic transformation.
Her ashen skin gradually turned purplish-white, and the corners of her black lips curled upwards slightly, exuding a wicked, enchanting allure.
The only constant was the vibrant life force she perpetually radiated, intertwined with the Ambrosial Arbor.
With a gentle sweep of her large hand, which held a folding fan, tens of thousands of black Profane Lotuses burst forth from the ground, almost transforming the entire secret realm into a black garden exclusively hers.」
「 .....」
〜Genshin Impact World〜
Teyvat—
"The aura of 『 Abundance 』 on her has grown stronger, phew… This is good, at least it can help us recover a little."
Inside the Grand Narukami Shrine, Yae Miko had a group of priestesses with injured eyes close them, facing the light screen, collectively feeling the bounty from 『 Abundance 』.
But looking at the unsettling purple body on the light screen, Miko hesitated to let the priestesses directly face it… What if the opponent detonated another star? Wouldn't that only exacerbate the injuries of ordinary people?
"If that move proves ineffective against Stelle, she likely won't use it again,"
Raiden Shogun calmly stated from beside her.
"As an Emanator of Destruction, she would surely choose other, more efficient combat methods."
Miko observed the vast expanse of blooming Profane Lotuses within the secret realm and shook her head.
"But this move has already been countered by Stelle and the others, hasn't it? As long as they target the Ambrosial Arbor's roots, no matter how many Profane Lotuses there are, it's useless."
"Not necessarily."
Raiden Shogun keenly perceived something.
"These Profane Lotuses… they are completely different from last time."
—
「 —Life Devour!
As the lotus leaves unfurled, the eerie, pale-green flower buds collectively revealed themselves before everyone.
Almost at the moment of their bloom, Stelle suddenly felt the vitality within her rapidly draining, being continuously siphoned away by these buds!
Under the aegis of Preservation, even the stellar explosion had only left faint scorch marks on her skin. But with the rapid loss of vitality, these marks now subtly threatened to expand.
"Cough, cough, Stelle…" In the blink of an eye, March 7th could no longer bear it and dropped to one knee.
Seeing the dire situation, Welt immediately attempted to use a Simulated Black Hole to destroy the Ambrosial Arbor's roots, but this time, his attack yielded no effect.」
「 .....」
〜Akame Ga Kill World〜
"Look closely, Mine, the roots of the Profane Lotuses don't seem to originate from the Ambrosial Arbor, but from… Phantylia herself!"
Following Najenda's pointed direction, Mine finally saw the countless tentacle-like roots connecting to the ground behind Phantylia.
"The Profane Lotuses generated by Phantylia herself not only carry the endless vitality of 『 Abundance 』 but also wield the power of Destruction… That's why they can directly inflict damage upon the physical bodies of Stelle and the others."
A bead of cold sweat trickled down Najenda's forehead.
"Even if they destroy seven or eight Profane Lotuses, it's useless. 『 Abundance 』 can directly regenerate them, and the vitality siphoned by the Lotuses, in turn, nourishes Phantylia… What a brilliant and cunning tactic."
"Damn it?! Hurry up and think of something, Jing Yuan! Where's the Lightning-Lord? Please, Lightning-Lord, save them!"
Seeing Jing Yuan in the light screen also struggling under the Lotus's drain, Mine grew frantic but utterly helpless. If her "Pumpkin" could provide remote support through the light screen, she would have already aimed for Phantylia's head and fired a shot.
"Wait, Mine."
Tatsumi's voice suddenly interrupted their discussion. He pointed to his ear.
"Did… did you hear something?"
"Something?"
Mine was bewildered, shaking her head repeatedly.
"What sound?"
Tatsumi's expression was grave as he spoke, word by word:
"…A dragon's roar!"
—