Chapter 349: Night, Death God, War God

Chapter 349: Night, Death God, War God

"It's you," Azik said, recognizing the woman before him. He was initially shocked, but quickly composed himself, realizing her purpose for coming tonight.

"You're late," he remarked. He had said the same thing to Ms;Arianna earlier that day.

The Primordial Phoenix Gregory had already grasped the uniqueness of the Death pathway. If the woman before him wanted to seize it, it would mean starting a divine war.

"Now is precisely the right time," she replied, her voice as flat and flavorless as plain water.

Azik didn't fully understand the meaning behind her words. She continued, "You only need to cooperate. Don't resist."

"What do you intend to do? Start a divine war?" Azik's heart skipped a beat as he began to grasp her intentions and the meaning behind her earlier statement.

The events of tonight were likely orchestrated by her deliberately. Her goal was to have Gregory and himself join forces to suppress Salinger's consciousness. To that end, she had even sent her followers to find him during the day, provoking Gregory.

Now, with half of Salinger's consciousness devoured and the other half suppressed, she planned to use Azik to reawaken a portion of Salinger's consciousness. This would force Salinger, backed into a corner and aware of his perilous situation, to fight back desperately.

This would occupy most of Gregory's attention, giving her the advantage in the divine war!

Just imagining it, Azik could see Gregory struggling to fend off Salinger's dying counterattack while simultaneously dealing with the true god of the adjacent pathway. Without outside help, Gregory stood no chance of victory.

"It seems you understand," she said, noting Azik's hesitation. "Regardless of the outcome, you can still live the life you desire."

Azik sighed heavily, his emotions conflicted. He held no ill will towards this new Death God, but he was powerless to resist the current situation. The true gods reigned supreme, while he was destined to be a mere pawn, moved by whoever picked him up.

"Let's go," she said.

Azik didn't resist as the power of the night enveloped him, transporting him to the night sky above.

In the thick darkness, Azik saw Gregory, who had vanished moments ago. A massive phoenix, its wings obscuring half the night sky, was covered in golden flames. A golden crown atop its head concentrated enough fire to burn the entire Southern Continent to ashes.

Her opponent was not the everNight Goddess before them, but the Dusk Giant wielding a massive twilight sword! The towering figure, clad in twilight armor and brandishing the giant sword, heralded the twilight of all things.

The divine war had truly begun!

Who could have imagined that the everNight Goddess and the War God, mortal enemies, would join forces tonight to slay the resurrected Primordial Phoenix!

Azik's heart raced with excitement and awe. This was a clash of true gods! Even though the War God was not physically present, only manifesting an avatar, Gregory was not at full strength either. Besides uniqueness, she had likely only fused with one Sequence 1 characteristic.

With the everNight Goddess lying in wait nearby, Gregory had no chance of victory tonight! Azik silently pronounced Gregory's death sentence after just a glance.

Even more chilling was how the War God so confidently turned his back to the everNight Goddess, showing no concern that she might betray him at a crucial moment.

This must involve other true gods backing the everNight Goddess, allowing the War God to face Gregory without worry.

"It's time," the everNight Goddess said, not giving Azik much time to think. Her right hand transformed into a black scythe, precisely cutting open Azik's newly healed forehead.

A black fissure split the flesh, revealing the ancient bird-shaped golden headdress once more!

Her other hand reached out, grasped the ancient golden headdress, and forcefully pulled it out.

"Ah..." Despite being somewhat mentally prepared, Azik couldn't help but groan in pain as he once again experienced the agony of his soul being torn apart.

This pain, originating from the depths of his soul, was far worse than having his flesh cut open or bones shattered. It was comparable to being crushed inch by inch under a massive boulder.

The everNight Goddess immediately invoked the power of the night, prying open a corner of the phoenix's seal. Salinger's consciousness, which had been completely suppressed, now awakened from its slumber.

Upon awakening, Salinger attempted to seize control of Azik's body.

As Salinger awoke, Azik's body began to change once more. A layer of dark green scales formed on his skin, with pale yellow, oily feathers growing from between the scales. In the depths of his eye sockets, a pale flame began to burn.

"Your battlefield is not here," the everNight Goddess said calmly, her tone carrying an irrefutable authority. With a swing of her black scythe, she effortlessly shattered all the changes on Azik's body.

The scales and feathers were all consumed by the power of the night.

"Night!" Azik's throat emitted an angry yet helpless voice.

"Salinger, go fight with all your might. This is your last chance," the everNight Goddess's tone was like pronouncing an incontestable judgment.

"I won't do as you wish!" Salinger's consciousness retorted.

"Then you will lose even this last glimmer of hope," she replied.

After a moment of silence, Salinger's consciousness spoke bitterly, "One day, I will settle all accounts with you!"

Even knowing that the everNight Goddess intended for him to fight the Primordial Phoenix to mutual destruction, he had no choice but to comply. Once the Primordial Phoenix fully grasped the authority of the Death pathway, he would have no chance of awakening again.

Only if the Primordial Phoenix perished would he have a slight hope of retaining his consciousness and awaiting another chance at resurrection. Although after surviving, the uniqueness of the Death pathway would likely fall into the hands of either the everNight Goddess or the War God, eliminating his chance of resurrection, he could only gamble. He bet on the everNight Goddess and War God's inability to easily cede the Death pathway's uniqueness to each other.

This was the opportunity the everNight Goddess had given him!

Moreover, he still had the Original Witch as an ally. Perhaps an unexpected variable could emerge.

Now, he could only exert all his effort to influence and interfere with the Primordial Phoenix's state, hoping to cause her downfall tonight!

As Salinger's consciousness awakened and fought desperately, Gregory, battling the War God, was greatly affected. Half of her wing was shattered by the Dusk Giant's great sword, transforming into endless flames falling from the sky, accompanied by a mournful cry of the phoenix.

The world, originally shrouded in darkness, now blazed with raging flames as Gregory was wounded. The inferno descended upon the earth like endless heavenly fire.

People still in their sweet dreams fell into eternal slumber.

This scene was visible even from distant Backlund, where the night sky seemed tinged with fiery clouds.

Bernadette frowned, staring intently towards the distant Southern Continent. Despite the great distance, she sensed something amiss.

The Wishing Lamp began to glow brightly. Bernadette summoned it and slightly loosened its seal, allowing the Lamp God's projection to emerge and breathe some fresh air.

"Incredible! A divine war has begun!" the Lamp God exclaimed. "If my senses are correct, tonight's main players are the War God and that resurrected new Death God."

"It's so well-concealed, the everNight Goddess must be involved too."

"Heh, those three have an irreconcilable relationship. This day isn't surprising."

"What's unexpected is that their intentions tonight are likely not so simple."

"What could it be? How troublesome. The everNight Goddess must be obscuring my senses. Her secretive authority is truly annoying."

The Lamp God chattered incessantly upon emerging.

Bernadette listened silently, the light in her eyes growing deeper.

At that moment, above her head, a starry sky blossomed. The familiar Star Palace appeared in Bernadette and the Lamp God's vision.

"Pray to me devoutly," came the voice of the stars, more solemn and authoritative than usual.

"I humbly obey the Oracle of the Stars," Bernadette said, bowing slightly before beginning to recite the honorific name of the stars in ancient Hermes.

The Lamp God's projection now looked much more serious. He hadn't expected tonight's events to be related to the stars.

Could the new Death God also be a believer of the stars? The Lamp God had some guesses about tonight's events and desperately wanted to go to the Star Palace to ask for details, but without being summoned, he couldn't go on his own. He could only wait patiently for the night's final outcome.

Not only Bernadette, but also Hugh and Fors received instructions from the stars and began devoutly reciting the honorific name.

At sea, Nast, the King of the Five Seas, also recited the stars's name.

Besides them, in the Southern Continent, all believers of the Death God in the Spirit Church received a divine revelation:

"All my followers, pray devoutly to the stars!"

Along with the revelation came the stars's honorific name, imprinted deep in their minds.