409

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM

A succession of ear-splitting explosions shook Heaven's sky, tearing the ground and cities across the thirteen domains asunder while even the Divine and Cardinal Sects shook.

The impact of that unprecedented blast forced the Overlord and the Warden to recoil from one step. Konrad, however, stood still with his gargantuan trident hovering above the black fog surrounding him. With his arms folded beneath his chest, Konrad emerged from the black fog, floating above it while his derisive gaze swept his two foes.

"If you were True Overgods, you could indeed take me on. But with your False Overgod strength, that...is but a pipe's dream."

Konrad stated, speaking words that only heightened both of his opponents' disbelief. In that one move, they realized the battle was far from going to their advantage. While they'd already unleashed Lineage Weapon and Ancestral Glory, the foe still relied on Cultivation Skills, Laws, and Bloodline strength. The implications were evident. Although they still held many cards, as long as Konrad tapped in the Underworld's strength, destruction awaited them both.

"But why is he not?"

The Overlord and the Warden wondered with surging suspicion. In that instant, enlightenment flashed in their eyes, and they both came to the same conclusion.

"He cannot!"

Be it due to his unwillingness to trigger Heaven's Will or other considerations, they believed Konrad dared not use his Realm's strength. And indeed, they were right. Unleashing the power of the Chthonian Realm wouldn't just trigger Heaven's Will, but alert his true enemies. The full might of the Chthonian Realm was just equal to an early-stage Primordial God.

Unless he swallowed Heaven and Hell's Will, or regained the God Executing Immortal Sword, drawing in the likes of Blood Nether would, at best, trigger a battle in which both sides perished.

"That being the case...there is room for maneuver."

Overlord and Warden exchanged one glance of tacit understanding, before stretching out their hands.

"Overlord's Might!"

"Heaven Warding Will!"

They bellowed in perfect synch. Vibration waves and horrendous infernal forces ruined the sky and ground as the Supreme Overlord Physique's true might erupted from the form of its original owner.

At the same time, dazzling silver light strands emerged from the Warden, swirling around that shrouded frame none could peer into while the Great Warden Physique kicked into gear. The light strands coalesced into a silver giant that held the Warden within its core, providing absolute defense while the Overlord's destructive might still rose!

But even as his foes' strength grew at a startling speed, Konrad's smile remained unchanged. Better, it grew brighter still. Clenching his fists, he let the full might of his bloodline, devil energies and laws erupt in one go.

In a burst of nefarious forces, two armaments appeared to hover above Konrad's hands. His Natal Devil Artifact, a dark-purple war-hammer and an icy-blue broadsword, his Omnislayer. Opening his hands, Konrad clenched the weapons, letting their dreadful forces explode alongside his unconstrained might.

But even before the foes made their move, Heaven showed signs of collapse, unable to endure further abuse. Seeing this, the Warden made the only suitable decision.

"Fight on a subatomic level!"

The Warden exclaimed, pulling an approving nod from the Overlord. Starting with the Overgod level, a deity's strength was simply too much for what any world, no matter how mighty, could endure. Heaven and Hell were no exception. However, those at the Overgod level possessed the ability to fight on a subatomic level, that left their surrounding wholly unaffected.

No matter how dreadful the ability they used, to the onlooker, it would be as if they vanished from the world. And so they did!

In tandem, the Warden and the Overlord pulled Konrad into a subatomic clash, making the three of them vanish from the sight and senses of all Celestial Deities. But as peace returned to Heaven, the battle only rose in intensity!

...

Meanwhile, the onlookers shivered in fright. Surya who from his Primal Sun Sect witnessed this astonishing battle quivered no end.

"What...what is the meaning of this? How could he possibly be...this strong?"

Surya stammered, unable to believe what his eyes showed him. And recalling how he prepared for vengeance, the Sun God couldn't help but feel himself laughable. What vengeance? It would be great if he didn't get minced into pieces!

...

Having finished the forest's cleanup, Heide and the Valkyrie stood alongside their Silent Blades to witness the clash.

"Aaaaaargh! The class, the brilliance! Dad, I love you!"

Heide swooned in full fangirl mode, causing the Valkyrie to not know if she should nod in approval, or rebuke this one of a kind daughter of her husband-lord.

...

When the High Custodian first trapped Verena within his grasp and attempted to destroy her, he quickly realized that absolute immortality was hers. Without a Primal Law Embodiment level, there was no way for him to take her life. Therefore, he just kept her suppressed and watched the clash unfold. Little did he expect that the following events would shake the very core of his soul!

"That...that strong? Holy tarnation! How do we fight? Even if the forest's transformation ends...we're not qualified to fill the gaps of his teeth!"

He realized in a mixture of fright and outrage. And before that display of sheer terror, Verena chortled.

"Ha, asinine creature. Who do you think you're dealing with? Can the God-Sovereign of a Realm not even have this level of might? A pity that you didn't offer your women of your own volition. Otherwise, he might have spared you."

The words rang in the High Custodian's massive ears like a grating racket, and his terror-stricken face contorted into a frown.

"I still have you. So long as I do, there is a chance for salvation."

He retorted while tightening his pressure around Verena's frame. But little did he expect that the more his palm compressed her, the brighter her smile became.

"Do you believe Fate is immutable?"

She asked in an amiable tone contrasting with the situation.

"We are the architects of our destiny. How could Fate be immutable? I deny such a notion."

The High Custodian replied with his frown unchanged. Hearing this, Verena nodded in approval.

"1/10. So long as I write it, Fate is immutable, for I have seen through all its variations, transcended its laws, and become The Architect."

Verena replied, and closed her eyes. As if to echo her words, her hair fluttered as the grey lines of fate swirled around her. The grey became pearl-white, and the uncertain, certain. Verena opened her eyes, and they now shone in a kaleidoscope of all the Fate Variations existing and inexisting within the High Custodian's Fate Standard.

*CRACK*

The Samsara Breaking Wheel collapsed, and from the sky, a dazzling white ray descended to slam Verena. Driven by a force he couldn't resist, the High Custodian released Verena from his grasp and shrunk back to his original size.

"Thank you for the trial, I needed one last push."

Verena bowed in thanks, then snapped her fingers, causing the High Custodian to ram his hand into his chest, gouge out his heart, and destroy his soul! But even as he perished, he felt no regret. No, the move echoed in his mind as the natural, righteous, and only viable decision. As if from birth, he was destined to offer her his heart.

Ignoring the now tumbling High Custodian's corpse, Verena spun to face the invisible scene of Konrad clashing with Heaven and Hell's rulers. Throughout the Celestial Realm, only she could see this subatomic fight. And even as the battle raged, she could already see the end.

Having achieved Fate Transcendence, Supremes and Fate Transcendent experts aside, there was no one able to escape her sight. Of course, Konrad's Devil Bridge was the sole exception.