Endless

Deep in the distant reaches of interstellar space, a sapphire-blue planet floated silently amid the sea of stars, like a lost jewel.

The Highest Academy of Sciences, top floor.

Everywhere in the room, screens flickered, reflecting scenes from across the universe.

“Energy readings have exceeded the threshold—the Mechanical Prophet’s body is 87% damaged!”

The cold electronic voice echoed through the control room, but it could not suppress the scientists’ heavy breathing.

On the screens, the Mechanical Prophet’s body was covered in cracks. Its right arm hung limply at its side, sparks flying from the joints. The tremendous pressure caused by accelerating instantly without any buffering had left even its mechanical frame barely able to withstand the strain.

Twisted flesh writhed and grew in the void, constantly changing into nauseating forms. The appearance of the Chaos Demon God was reflected in everyone’s eyes.

“Self-destruct!”

“Blow that monster to pieces!”

One of the scientists slammed his hand down on the red button in front of him.

Suddenly, a burst of explosive light flared up, and the screens went dark one after another. The room fell into complete darkness.

“Ah, the Mechanical Prophet is scrap after all.” A scientist in a white coat slumped back into his reclining chair.

“What a pity. We spent so many resources and so much manpower building it.” Another scientist sighed.

“What about the operator? William! Are you all right? Did the neural link disconnect in time? Dying once isn’t a pleasant experience…” someone shouted loudly.

“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

William climbed out of the cockpit. Pale yellow nutrient fluid dripped from him, soaking his clothes and plastering them to his body.

He took the towel handed to him by an assistant and casually wiped away the remaining fluid.

Golden hair, handsome features, and a body defined by smooth, powerful muscles… If Xia Lun had been there, he would certainly have recognized that the Mechanical Prophet looked exactly like this pilot.

After all, the Mechanical Prophet had been built using William as its template, with the goal of making it more compatible with the mechanical body.

“What a terrible feeling…” William shook his head and clenched his fist. A trace of regret flashed through his eyes. “I feel so weak. Like there’s nothing I can do…”

“That’s normal. It’s a side effect of the neural transfer. You spent too long inside that powerful body,” a scientist nearby explained.

“That’s not what I mean…” William sighed. “We’re still too weak. I wonder whether the Mechanical Prophet’s self-destruction caused any damage to that thing called the Chaos Demon God…”

“From the looks of it, no. That thing still seems to be full of life.” An answer echoed from somewhere in the corner.

William froze. “How do you know?”

“One of the hive drones is still barely operational. It transmitted the footage from there back to us.” The person in the corner pointed at the screen before him. “Though it probably won’t last much longer…”

“Really?”

“Let me see!”

The surrounding scientists crowded toward the corner.

However, just as they gathered around, the screen suddenly went out.

“Damn it!”

“We lost it just like that?”

“What do we do now? The research and development of the Second-Generation Mechanical Prophet has only just passed the halfway mark… It’ll take at least ten years to complete.” One of them spoke with unconcealed worry. “That thing called the Chaos Demon God…”

A trace of concern flashed through the eyes of all the scientists.

Their location was remote, but if the Chaos Demon God were allowed to rampage through the outside world, it would eventually find its way to their planet.

“And the Second-Generation Mechanical Prophet might not even be a match for that thing.”

“Then the only hope we have left is the Scarlet Goddess…”

…

Surging flames obliterated everything around them.

As the heat wave swept over them, Xia Lun stood in front of Aina, blocking most of the heat.

This was no ordinary explosion. The Mechanical Prophet’s self-destruction had converted every inch of its structure into pure energy. Its power was enough to vaporize a small planet.

It was the greatest masterpiece created by a group of mortals who possessed no magic, relying only on wisdom and perseverance.

It was the protest and retaliation of frail mortals against an immortal demon god.

The Mechanical Prophet’s body turned to ash within the flames, while the Chaos Demon God’s newly condensed body was once again blown apart.

“Why can’t that thing be killed?”

Xia Lun did not waste the opportunity created by the Mechanical Prophet. He immediately charged forward with his twin swords.

His figure dragged out a lingering afterimage through the void. The two swords, one blue and one red, traced intersecting arcs of light. Wherever their edges passed, space itself was cleaved apart, leaving behind brief trails of vacuum.

Aina slowly raised her hand. Several streaks of blood-colored light pierced the chunks of flesh that were writhing and attempting to fuse back together.

Red and blue sword light flashed. Xia Lun sliced the charred pieces of flesh into even smaller fragments, but they still showed no sign of losing their vitality.

The Chaos Demon God’s flesh suddenly swelled. Countless crimson hands burst from its surface, forcing Xia Lun back for the moment.

Xia Lun had no choice but to retreat to Aina’s side.

The Chaos Demon God…

Xia Lun felt that it might be capable of regenerating forever.

Even now, he had yet to find anything resembling a power core within the Chaos Demon God’s body.

It was as if the creature’s health bar was simply invisible. For the first time, Xia Lun felt a sense of helplessness.

Aina’s blood-colored light did not restrain the Chaos Demon God for long either. The writhing flesh gradually devoured it, and the same attack seemed to have little effect on the creature. Before long, the dark-red figure stood once more in the void.

The Chaos Demon God tilted its head and extended a hand toward Xia Lun again.

A flood of flesh surged toward him.

Xia Lun drew a deep breath. A dense web of sword light shredded every incoming hand in front of him.

His stamina was still relatively abundant, but it was not endless. If this continued to drain him, defeat was inevitable.

“What an annoying monster…” Aina clenched her pearly teeth, her gaze cold as ice. Several scarlet streams of light shot out from her flowing red dress, instantly twisting the Chaos Demon God into a cloud of blood mist.

Unfortunately, it still accomplished nothing.

Before long, the Chaos Demon God recovered once more.

Moreover, the creature’s regeneration seemed to be growing faster and faster… It appeared to be adapting to the process.

When facing its attacks, Xia Lun and Aina had to remain fully focused.

There was no technique involved—only the most primitive form of brute force. Yet at this moment, that was precisely what made the attacks so impossible to counter.

Xia Lun tightened his grip on his twin swords, the powers of ice and fire endlessly flowing along their blades. He glanced at Aina beside him, her skirt billowing in the air and her expression cold and stern, then looked toward the dark-red demonic shadow in the distance that continued to “evolve.”

A prolonged battle was unfavorable to them. They had to find its weakness.

But where was that weakness?

Xia Lun’s gaze, sharp as the keenest probe, once again pierced into that writhing mass of chaos.