Chapter 301: The Void's Corruption

With a thought, Garon, through the connection of magic power, allowed the World Rune to display its destructive power. The World Rune didn't waste the substantial amount of magic power it had consumed from Garon. It immediately responded to Garon's intention. The next moment, the giant blue light orb began to flicker at a high frequency.

A blue electrical arc flashed and vanished, striking the surface of the earth. Then, under Garon's astonished gaze, this fleeting electrical arc left a crack tens of kilometers long on the surface, silently annihilating the touched soil and rocks. The crevice revealed an unfathomable dark abyss, marking just the beginning of the destruction.

Blue electrical arcs shot out one after another. These primal magical energies were filled with destructive power, splitting mountains they touched, tearing the earth, and even leaving visible spatial cracks in the sky. Everything touched by these arcs was obliterated. The newly sprouted flowers and green grass turned to ash in an instant.

Witnessing the World Rune's destructive power, Garon, looking at the landscape scarred with cracks and broken mountains within moments, quickly transmitted the intention to stop releasing its power to the World Rune.

However, the excited World Rune wasn't controlled by Garon's intent. The small sun-like blue orb vibrated at a high frequency, unleashing thousands of electrical arcs that spanned hundreds of miles, fiercely lashing the earth, creating a tumultuous roar as if the earth itself was crying out.

Garon's eyelids twitched as he was near the action. The World Rune's attack was fierce, each electrical arc as powerful as a legendary spell, even more destructive than average legendary spells, and densely packed like a net covering heaven and earth.

Fortunately, it seemed to have some conscience. Although disobedient, it didn't attack Garon, the one who had given it magic power. Otherwise, Garon felt he would be in a rather embarrassing situation trying to deal with the World Rune's power.

He used a time stop field, but obviously, his time stop wasn't enough to freeze the rampaging World Rune. The time waters around the World Rune stirred, splashing large ripples.

"An uncontrollable magical force. It's like a bomb that could hurt oneself if not careful. But indeed, its power is terrifying."

Since he couldn't make it stop, Garon no longer tried, quietly watching the World Rune unleash its power. However, what happened a few seconds later made Garon's face turn dark.

A few electrical arcs flashed and fell upon Volibear's Storm Mountain. After a moment of calm, the vast mountain, as if filled with gunpowder and ignited, collapsed with a deafening roar, scattering countless rocks like fireworks, even dispersing the clouds that had gathered above the mountain for years.

"This..."

Garon scratched the itchy dragon scales on his forehead, feeling somewhat guilty. The place where Volibear had lived for who knows how many years was destroyed by his inadvertent action.

"I should've moved farther away before experimenting with the rune's power. I hope my brother isn't angry."

The range of the World Rune's destruction was wider than Garon had anticipated. Time slowly passed. Several minutes later, the rampaging World Rune finally calmed down, seemingly having exhausted the magic power it had drawn from Garon. The giant blue orb once again shrank into a small, harmless blue rune floating before Garon.

Crackling sounds of white crystalline temporal amber sealed the World Rune again. The dragon claw covered in silver scales picked up the temporal amber, the dragon looking at the tiny, dust-like World Rune inside.

Through the temporal amber, Garon felt as if a connection had formed between him and the World Rune. It had used up Garon's magic power, but the link left by the magic remained.

"Repeating such experiments a few more times might gradually expand my influence over the World Rune until I can control its power at will."

Garon surveyed the ravaged land, thinking silently. From the sky, almost all the land within Garon's view had been devastated by the World Rune, with deep fissures like dense spiderwebs extending for miles, and slow-healing spatial cracks lingering in the air.

Valoran is a robust primary material world, capable of housing so many demigods, but even so, the World Rune caused tremendous destruction.

Converting Garon's magic into legendary spells, even ten times more magic might not achieve the same level of destruction.

After putting away the temporal amber, the silver dragon looked down at a shattered mountain, retracting his wings and descending.

Seeing the scorched rubble, Garon wore an expression of helplessness. He didn't know how to reverse time to repair the collapsed mountain, nor did he possess the corresponding spells.

Meanwhile, Volibear, who had agreed with his friends to besiege Nagakabouros, was on his way back to his territory.

Miles away, the giant bear that stood erect halted its steps, looking forward with confusion and alertness.

In view were the remains of the shattered land, with lightning-like fissures crisscrossing densely, filling the sight, dividing the surface into countless fragments, with hardly any flat land to stand on.

Looking deeper into the fissures, some revealed faintly glowing magma, while others were pitch black, their depths unknown.

Snowflakes still fell from the sky, adding a somber atmosphere to the scene.

"What happened here? Such widespread destruction is beyond

 the capability of an ordinary demigod's full-force battle."

Volibear's heart chilled. Then, with thunderous descents, the thunderous giant bear, having giantized, rushed towards its territory amidst the storm.

Soon, Volibear arrived at Storm Mountain's location. But all he saw were his younger brother and shattered rocks everywhere, with no sign of Storm Mountain.

"Where's my huge Storm Mountain?"

The bear looked baffled, stopping in its tracks.

From the moment it gained a physical form, Volibear had lived in Storm Mountain. Initially, it was just an ordinary mountain, becoming a special scene enveloped in storms due to Volibear's long residence and power infusion.

Without lingering, Volibear, while reverting from his giant form, descended towards Garon.

"What happened? Where's my home?"

Under Garon's slightly hollow gaze, Volibear, furious, said, "Did some blind demigod or beast come here to cause trouble, damn it, daring to destroy my nest, I'll tear them apart!"

Pausing, it looked at Garon, then concernedly added, "On my way here, I noticed severe damage to the land."

"You weren't hurt, were you?"

Garon shook his head.

Under Volibear's gaze, Garon honestly recounted the events.

"Just like that. I didn't expect the World Rune to have such destructive power."

"Don't be angry, brother, I'll find you a better nest."

After hearing Garon's explanation, Volibear fell silent for a while, then looked at Garon and slowly said, "So that little thing is really that powerful?"

It didn't mind Garon accidentally destroying its Storm Mountain.

Initially, Volibear was skeptical about the World Rune's power, but now, learning from Garon that the widespread destruction within thousands of miles was caused by the World Rune, it doubted its judgment.

Such extensive destruction is achievable by demigod creatures.

But to cause the scale and speed of destruction like the World Rune in a short time would be challenging for demigod creatures.

Garon sighed in relief, saying, "Yes, the World Rune, as the seal nun said, can overturn the sea and shred the land."

Vigor flashed in Volibear's eyes, saying to Garon, "Bring out the World Rune again, let me witness its power."

Garon shook his head, "It needs my magic to activate."

"I've used a lot of magic in the recent experiment, needing time to recover."

Pausing, he added, "We can use it on Nagakabouros, letting it personally experience the power of the World Rune it desired."

Volibear was startled, then burst into laughter.

"Great idea."

"Let's see if it survives."

Soon, Garon and Volibear left the land devastated by the World Rune.

Not long after, a dragon and a bear arrived at the gathering place of the Bearfolk Clan.

The Bearfolk Clan was the name Volibear gave to those humans who worshipped its power.

These people were initially pure primitive humans.

But due to Volibear's bestowed power, some became half-human, half-bear, and some fully transformed into several meters tall bears.

Humans, half-human, half-bear beings, and humans fully transformed into bears together formed the Bearfolk Clan.

Volibear hadn't visited the Bearfolk Clan for a while.

Coming with Garon this time, the Bearfolk prostrated on the cold, snow-covered ground upon seeing Volibear, expressing their reverence.

"Brother, if you don't take care of these followers, many might freeze to death."

Garon saw many people not blessed by Volibear, wearing thin animal skins, shivering in the cold wind, their faces stiff from the cold.

Due to the influence of Forgehold, the weather here became icy.

The bone-chilling wind and cold snowflakes were too harsh for these still weak humans.

Their already harsh lives worsened due to the unintentional actions of a demigod.

At this moment, this is the reality of Valoran. A demigod's actions, even unintentional, can lead to the prosperity or extinction of other weaker beings.

Volibear thought for a moment, "These are my first followers; I need their faith."

"I can't let them die easily."

Saying that, the bear's body swelled inch by inch, quickly transforming into a towering giant form.

Then, under the reverent gaze of the Bearfolk, Volibear flew into the sky and raised a paw wrapped in endless lightning, crashing it down to the earth like a meteor.

With terrifying power, the paw struck the ground.

Boom! Under Volibear's perfect control of its power, the ground cracked and bulged, forming a terrain that could resist the wind and snow, extending into a giant bear paw shape.

The storm brought the Bearfolk into the bear paw-shaped terrain.

The biting wind and snow were blocked outside, immediately improving many people's complexions.

Realizing the giant god was creating suitable living land for them, the Bearfolk's admiring gaze towards Volibear intensified.

"My name is Volibear."

"I am the undying wild thunder, the roaring thunder, I am the god of storm and thunder!"

"Petty beings, worship me, believe in me, and I will grant you the power of the gods!"

Following Garon's teachings on faith and godhood, the giantized Volibear roared deeply. As it spoke, dark clouds gathered, and amidst the chaotic storm, rolling thunder fell continuously, enhancing its majestic presence.

To harvest the initial faith, there's no better way than to show power, or to put on a show.

In this aspect, Volibear excelled.

Selecting a few healthier individuals from the Bearfolk, Volibear bestowed more power upon them and granted them the right to communicate with it.

These are its messengers, better suited to convey its will to other intelligent beings.

Following Garon's teachings, Volibear completed the process and harvested its first followers.

Then, Volibear chose a mountain nearby as its new residence, settling down. This location was closer to its followers, allowing it to better display its power.

And under Volibear's strong insistence, Garon also constructed a dragon's nest on another mountain nearby.

Inside the crude and simple dragon's nest, the silver dragon closed its eyes, resting.

The excessive consumption of magic left Garon feeling somewhat empty.

For dragons, the best way to recover is sleep.

While Garon slept, Volibear, full of energy, busied itself forging a temple and statues for itself, tirelessly excited like a child with a new toy.

Time flowed slowly.

Two months passed quickly.

On a land covered in ice and snow, where the cold wind howled, several different-looking demigod creatures gathered. The inadvertent auras mixed together, almost solidifying the surrounding air.

Aside from the small group of Garon, Volibear, Arkaim, and Olica.

There was also a giant wild boar with horn-like tusks and red eyes, and a lean, well-proportioned blue giant wolf.

Iron Mountain Pig, Windstride Wolf, these two wisdom demigods were willing to help Volibear besiege Nagakabouros.

Six demigods gathered together.

"After killing Nagakabouros,

 I will forge a fitting battle armor for each of you."

Arkaim promised Iron Mountain Pig and Windstride Wolf.

These two demigods were just here to help, without direct enmity with Nagakabouros, so Arkaim made a promise to gift them armors as rewards after the deed, ensuring they wouldn't exert effort in vain.

Demigods evidently need to observe social graces too.

Afterward, following Garon's tracking of the temporal mark, the group of demigods swiftly set off towards the vast ocean.

Shortly after their departure, unnoticed by any demigod, deep beneath the earth's surface, where the World Rune's power had breached, a purple dimensional crack pulsed like a heart. The deep rock layers were quietly tainted with a dangerous and evil purple hue, rapidly expanding.

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