"So close."

Tisiana’s face turned deathly pale.

"Thank goodness for Miss Rosalia."

"We’re family."

Phield narrowed his eyes.

"Besides, thanks to you, we got another Tier Three Divine Artifact."

"I’ll find the perfect opportunity to give that Empress a little surprise."

"She really thinks I’m someone she can bully?"

"Hold on."

"As long as Phield loses consciousness, we’ll be able to control the Nether Divine Chosen."

The Empress desperately poured more power into the grand formation.

Endless waves of demons continued pouring out.

"It seems low level demons are nowhere near enough to defeat them."

"I have no choice but to use my final trump card."

Riemann looked utterly confused.

"Then why not use a force above Tier Four?"

The Empress let out a cold laugh.

"The only reason I can still wield any power is because I’m absorbing Phield’s Soul Power."

"I use that Soul Power to tear open the formation and release demons."

"He doesn’t possess a Tier Four Divine Chosen."

"So naturally, I can’t summon a Tier Four monster either."

If the Soul Power of a Tier Three could summon a Tier Nine Divine Chosen, it would completely violate the laws of energy itself.

Seeing Phield still standing, the Empress was secretly astonished.

The Soul Devouring Formation drained Soul Power at an unbelievable rate.

Yet Phield had endured for this long without collapsing.

That alone was incredible.

Even more terrifying was how calm he remained.

He showed no recklessness whatsoever, leaving her unable to exploit a single opening.

"Damn it."

"If only Phield had opened one more treasure chest..."

"Or taken just one more step toward the core..."

"...this battle wouldn’t have become so troublesome."

"T Then... what do we do?"

Riemann’s voice trembled with panic.

"We can’t hold much longer!"

Nearly every sailor and knight had already been slaughtered by the Corrupted Dragon.

The newly summoned demons were also completely pinned down by it.

Farlo and the Divine Chosen wielding the divine crossbow had both dissolved their Divine Artifacts and were desperately making one final stand against Rosalia.

It was unbelievable.

Even with an army of demons supporting them, they were still losing.

Riemann took a deep breath before speaking with a trembling voice.

"This is the most terrifying opponent I’ve ever faced."

"After all..."

"...he’s being empowered by Calamity."

The Empress sighed.

"I truly hate wasting such precious Soul Power and the strength of my formation on a demon Divine Chosen..."

"But I have no other choice."

She waved her hand.

"Awaken."

"Pure Blood Demon."

"Christie."

A female demon materialized beside the Empress.

Her delicate ram horns, crimson body, and magnificent demonic wings radiated the unmistakable nobility of a true Pure Blood Demon.

"So you’ve finally revealed your trump card."

Supported by Tisiana, Phield watched everything from behind the protection of the Corrupted Dragon.

When he saw yet another demon appear, he burst into laughter.

"You look far more like the villain than I do, Your Majesty."

"Don’t flatter yourself."

The Empress looked thoroughly displeased.

"She’s merely a sealed Demon Divine Chosen."

"A trophy I claimed."

"The Nether Divine Chosen was always meant to become my true vessel."

"Unfortunately..."

"If I don’t act now..."

"...I’ll lose."

With a helpless sigh, the Empress raised her hand.

"Purification Formation."

"Soul Infusion."

Her spirit transformed into a streak of light and entered Christie’s body.

Christie’s Divine Power skyrocketed until she reached the level of a Tier Three Divine Chosen.

If Phield’s minimap had still been functioning, he would have seen a brand new Divine Chosen marker appear.

Christie’s scarlet snake like pupils slowly opened.

Or rather...

The Empress, now controlling Christie’s body, unfolded her arms across her chest and smiled.

"Phield."

"If you’re unwilling to take your own life..."

"...I’ll gladly help you."

The instant she finished speaking, Christie exploded forward.

Thunderous booms echoed behind her as both claws ripped toward Phield.

Tisiana gritted her teeth and stepped in front of him.

"Get behind me."

Phield pulled her behind his back with one hand.

"If you’re injured, then rest."

"I’m not afraid at all."

"My Lord..."

Tisiana nearly burst into tears.

She had always called him by name because she had thought of Phield as nothing more than a young man who had just come of age.

For the first time, she truly felt the commanding authority of her Lord.

"Rosalia."

"Have the Corrupted Dragon hold off Farlo and the others."

"You deal with the Greater Demon."

"Yes!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Rosalia blasted Farlo’s group backward with her greatsword before diving toward Christie.

Their weapons collided immediately.

Christie was no ordinary opponent.

Empowered by both the grand formation and the lingering soul of the Empress, her Divine Power was immense, while her combat experience was terrifyingly refined.

The moment they clashed, it was like an entire powder keg had exploded.

The two unleashed relentless attacks upon one another.

"Hahaha!"

Christie laughed while locking Rosalia in combat.

"Without Calamity protecting you..."

"...what gives you the right to fight me?"

"You should just die."

"It would be the greatest contribution you could ever make to this world."

The Corrupted Dragon remained occupied with holding back Farlo’s assault.

Tisiana could no longer continue fighting.

Endless waves of demons surged forward like an overwhelming tide.

The battlefield seemed completely hopeless.

Tisiana was frantic.

"Who told you..."

"...that I only have one Calamity Divine Chosen?"

Rosalia’s overwhelming strength had always led everyone to believe she was Phield’s entire arsenal.

"Firomina."

"Sunlight Patterns."

"Kill every last one of these filthy things."

The pitiful little Firomina, who had been hiding behind Phield the entire time, suddenly ignited golden flames within her eyes.

Golden radiance erupted from her body.

A majestic figure descended gracefully from above.

Her divine nobility was so overwhelming that no one dared look directly at her.

"Huh?"

"She’s one of Calamity’s?"

Christie froze for an instant before quickly regaining her composure.

"Stop bluffing."

"She’s only Tier One..."

She never finished her sentence.

"Why are there so many insects?"

"The world has become filthy once again."

Firomina spoke with unmistakable disgust.

She gently raised one hand.

The Nirvana Seed floated into the air.

"Tier One Divine Skill."

"Solar Bombardment."

The Nirvana Seed drifted upward without the slightest hint of menace.

In the blink of an eye, it reached the sky above everyone’s heads.

A thin golden line suddenly split the ceiling apart.

A river of golden light poured down from the heavens.

Christie...

Including the Empress controlling her body...

Instantly felt every hair on their bodies stand on end.

The next moment, heaven and earth shook.

Boom!

A pillar of golden light as thick as a massive column descended straight into the densely packed demon horde.

Countless demons were instantly swallowed by the golden radiance before exploding into dust.

Within moments, every demon in the surrounding area was swept away.

Even the floor of the underground palace shattered apart.

Ripples of Destruction Divine Power spread outward.

An entire area the size of a classroom was completely reduced to scorched black ash.

Farlo dodged the Corrupted Dragon’s attack and burst into laughter.

"That’s it?"

"You actually thought that would scare us?"

Contily, the mermaid, felt the scorching heat wash over her and frowned.

"That almost gave me a heart attack."

"Luckily..."

"It didn’t hit me..."

"As long as there are enough targets..."

"...one of them will eventually be hit."

Firomina smiled sweetly.

"So..."

"Everyone."

"Die."

As though her words had become a signal...

An endless storm of golden light poured down from the shattered ceiling like torrential rain...

Blanketing everything within her sight.