Chapter 157: Endless Fire
In the square, upon hearing Maude's words, Isaacron was very pleased with what he said.
He had no doubts at all and laughed heartily as he said, "Go, behead him, and I will grant you eternal life, so that your soul may endure in the Endless Fire!"
Maude shouted loudly, "Yes!"
However, a strange smile appeared on Enzo's face.
He fixed his gaze on Maude and was certain that Maude had not been corrupted by Isaacron's spiritual fire but was instead very clear-headed. Yet, why was Maude acting this way?
Enzo did not know at all.
But he understood clearly that he needed to cooperate now.
So, Enzo deliberately said, "The one who wants to kill me hasn't been born yet!"
"How arrogant you are !"
Maude bellowed and charged forward .
Enzo knew little about Maude or the Barren Mountain Tribe. All his knowledge about Maude or the Barren Mountain Tribe came only from stories told by others and some surviving written texts.
But this time, he faced the priest of the Barren Mountain Tribe directly.
As soon as they engaged, Enzo felt how troublesome Maude was.
Maude spoke to Enzo, "Kid, this move of mine is called the Holy Shield. It uses my supernatural power to gather in the palm and then flows in a specific pattern to form a powerful shield. If you want to attack me, you must break this shield first!"
As he spoke, a golden shield appeared around Maude.
Enzo's expression changed slightly. He understood claerly that Maude's explanation wasn't meant to boast but to inform him how the Holy Shield was executed.
This was a power almost as formidable as Black Feather's.
However, unlike the supernatural abilities that Enzo previously understood—those inherited through inheritance or from supernatural beings—this was also a skill that could be learned.
But what is the purpose?
What was Maude's intention?
Enzo found it difficult to discern at the moment, but he quickly learned the Sacred Shield demonstrated by Maude and only condensed a part of it on his fist before delivering a punch that heavily struck the golden shield Maude had formed.
"This kid..."
Maude was profoundly shaken.
As Enzo guessed, he was not corrupted by the spiritual fire, but others were, and in order to protect them, he had to strike first and knock them unconscious.
As for Enzo—
Maude detected the threads of fate around him, indicating a deep connection between them, and he also realized that he was not truly present at the moment.
He was merely a phantom created by a time fluctuation.
Once the time fluctuation ceases, he will disappear.
As for why he had self-awareness instead of being like others, Maude also speculated that this may be intentional by his future self.
And the reason, he was also unclear.
But at the moment Enzo comprehended the Sacred Shield , Maude seemed to understand something.
Such a powerful talent might indeed create miracles.
Enzo, unaware of Maude's thoughts, felt a tremendous force rebound when he struck the holy shield, proving its formidable strength.
Indeed, it's impressive!
Enzo has to admit this.
And this was only Maude in his middle age.
So, could the Barren Mountain Tribe's destruction really be due to a curse?
Are there other reasons?
Just as Enzo contemplates, Isaacron roared angrily, "Good for nothing! Can't even handle such a small pest!"
Maude feigned fear.
And he earnestly pleaded, "Great master, Maude requests your power to defeat this person."
It seemed that Isaacron had been banned for a long time, and he needed some fun to alleviate the loneliness brought by the long years. So he agreed and casually popped a crimson flame into Maud's body.
Maude's aura immediately intensified.
Then Maude turns to Enzo and declares, "I have acquired Endless Fire. You are no match for me!"
The next moment, Maude attacks.
His whole body transformed into a blazing fire heading towards Enzo. However, just before reaching him, Maude halts and the fire gently settles in Enzo's hand.
At the same time, Maude said, "Keep it safe."
It was naturally referred to the Endless Fire in Enzo's hand.
What did this mean?
Before Enzo could ask, he sensed a strange fluctuation, and the scene before him rapidly shift like a slideshow.
It was an image of a time and space where he did not exist.
Maud solved Isaacron, but Isabel was killed and even her body was burned to ashes. Then Maud left with the rest of the people.
Throughout, Enzo was merely a bystander.
This was what unsettles Enzo—he gazed at the small flame in his hand, which floated on the Ring of the World totem. The totem emitted a unique fluctuation that counteracts the time distortion's effected.
This flame had traveled from the past to the present.
"Maude—no— Maude's true purpose was to deliver this Endless Fire to me? Yet, he only told me to keep it safe without any explanation…"
"This isn't normal. "
"It's likely another problem."
Enzo analyzed the situation.
The time distortion faded, revealing the same square, now in ruins with signs of battle everywhere.
The bronze door was covered in rust.
Enzo's attention shifted to the deity statue in the center...
Enzo's expression changed significantly. The deity statue in the center opened its eyes, which were clouded, and eerily looks at him, uttering incomprehensible words: "Offender, remnants, death… according to… judgment…"
These words were completely incoherent and had unclear meanings.
However, Enzo understood that he had encountered trouble.
The statue's stone fragmented shatter, revealing a peculiar deity with six wings, holding two short swords, and adorned with golden patterns, coming to life.
"Divine Might!"
The strange deity roared.
Enzo felt as though the entire world was pressing down on him.
Then the peculiar deity took another step and continued to chant a word: "Judgment!"
Golden light bursts forth, forming a giant sword poised to deliver judgment upon Enzo.
Damn it!
What was this thing?
Enzo's anger rose, and he struggled to stand. The Ring of the World appeared behind him, with the previously red flame now transformed into a ghostly blue, emanating a dangerous aura.
Enzo roared, "No one can judge me!"
At this moment, Enzo suddenly felt a shift in his consciousness.
In a daze, he saw a flame.
The fire came from beyond, from the vast starry sky, and descended into this world with a falling meteorite. Flames continue to grow, bringing warmth and light to people.
It also brought civilization.
Therefore, in the dawn of life, this flame was devoutly worshipped and, as it never extinguished, it gained a new name—Endless Fire.
"Is this the origin of Endless Fire?"
Enzo was astonished.
He realized that the Ring of the World was changing. When Maude handed him that small portion of Endless Fire, the Ring of the World began absorbing its power.
As one of the Seven Great Origins Creations, Endless Fire represents a fundamental element of the world—fire.
This was crucial for the Ring of the World's refinement.
And Enzo benefited from this as well.
At this moment, his mental power was undergoing a transformation, and his own strength had surpassed a new level, reaching Level 6, now on par with Freya.
The unprecedented sense of power made Enzo intoxicated.
Enzo looked at the peculiar deity. Enzo was surrounded by several terrifying fireballs. These fireballs emitted a ghostly blue light and, with a wave of Enzo's hand, silently appeared beside the peculiar deity, then quickly exploded.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The explosion continued to reverberate, and the entire plaza began to shake.
Crack—Crack—
Alongside the explosions, there were clear sounds of breaking.
As the fire and light from the explosions dissipated, Enzo saw that one of the wings of the peculiar deity had been severed and had fallen straight to the ground with a dull thud.
And at the eccentric Deity's chest, there were also wounds that burned large areas of skin.
However, beneath the skin, there are not flesh and blood, but numerous mechanical gears.
This thing…
A profound sense of absurdity enveloped Enzo. He had considered many scenarios, but never imagined that this deity-like powerful monster was actually a mechanical creation.
Moreover why was it a mechanical construct?
According to Enzo's knowledge, there were indeed craftsmen who could create special weapons or devices, but these were rare flashes of inspiration.
Mechanical gears, however, had never been seen before.
The mysteries of the world had grown even deeper.
Enzo looked at the mechanical creature that still wanted to launch an attack, and casually summoned vines to restrain it. Then he condensed a huge fireball the size of a house and smashed it directly towards the mechanical creature. Then he quickly turned around and walked towards the rusty bronze gate.
Boom!
An even more intense explosion erupted.
The mechanical construct was shattered, and the entire plaza began to collapse. Below the plaza, in a sealed chamber, red lights suddenly flickered.
Then, a peculiar device recorded a message.
[Endless Fire burns again. The world's transformation was imminent, disaster approached, deity fell!]
[Sealed… zzz… En…zo...]