Above Destiny

Chapter 534 Consumption and Iteration
"Divine punishment! Divine punishment! Divine punishment!!!"

When a terrifying force, as powerful as the blazing sun—no, truly comparable to the blazing sun—descended from the sky, countless angels involuntarily shouted and cheered.

Like a star falling, spewing out countless streams of flame, it crashed down with a deafening roar!

It tore through the iron-like clouds, burning a huge hole in the middle, dispelling all the chaotic mist that lingered over the scar, and boiling outwards in all directions.

It crashed into the crevice with unparalleled terrifying power.

But on the earth, the fissure suddenly opened up, like a huge mouth, its area expanding dozens of times in an instant, just like a giant maw that swallowed the day of divine punishment.

The blazing sun sank into darkness.

Then, silently... it disappeared.

It's as if it never existed.

The Pope, expressionless, gripped his scepter and unleashed its power, but no matter how he tried to control it, the power of the blazing sun could not break free of its restraints.

It felt as if I had fallen into a prison, unable to stretch my body.

No, it's almost like...

It was held tightly.

In that instant, in the rolling, dissipating darkness, in the steel hell, Ji Jue's figure appeared, glancing at the outstretched five fingers.

A tiny fireball suspended between the five fingers.

The repeated outbreaks and conflicts could not escape the control of the spiritual hand. Within the unseen five fingers, the magnificent and vast destruction had been turned into a plaything in the palm of his hand.

It's hard to break free.

"You're here, why did you bring anything?"

Ji Jue raised his head, glanced at the phantom of Tiancheng in the distance, and grinned: "They're quite enthusiastic."

As he spoke, he tightened his fingers, and streaks of scorching red flames surged from them, extending out and disappearing into the furnace. The steady flow of flames added temperature and power to the furnace, making the surging river of molten steel even more turbulent and rapid, splashing up countless points of silver light.

Immediately afterwards, specks of light rose from the silver crown on his head and flew toward the black clouds on the verge of collapse above the scar.

Suddenly, amidst the thunderous roars, blinding flashes of lightning illuminated the scene.

A silvery glow emerged from the darkness, instantly coating the entire cloud layer with a metallic sheen, and in a flash, a torrential downpour began.

What fell from the silver cloud was a chilling rain of metal.

Countless iron pieces were forged by thunder and lightning, coalescing into a storm that swept across the land and engulfed everything.

Even though the blades and impacts were too small to penetrate the reinforced armor and cause any damage, they seemed to melt instantly upon contact, wandering and burrowing into the skin and pores, hardening and reshaping within the flesh, and proliferating voraciously.

If one is not careful, rainwater will seep into the wound, and blood-red thorns will grow, coiling around the bones and internal organs, causing countless angels to fall with cries of agony.

But even more angels rushed forward without hesitation.

Amidst the resounding bugle calls, it surged in like a torrent, even turning to rush towards that silver rain cloud, then, with fervent shouts of dogma, it exploded with a deafening roar.

They were like walking bombs, their terrifying numbers visibly erasing the rain clouds in the sky.

Under the illumination of the holy relic that spreads divine radiance, the dead angels will be reborn from the divine radiance in an instant. With each self-destruction, the resonance and connection between them and the holy power will become stronger and stronger, making them larger and more ferocious, and the explosions will be even more exaggerated!

In just a few seconds, tens of thousands of angels, restrained by the explosion, rushed into the sky above the scar and plunged straight into the cracks in the ground.

Their faces were filled with hysterical fanaticism, without fear or retreat. Even their last vestiges of humanity had vanished under the burning of the radiance. Even in their final moments, they were still singing hymns!

The magnificent and soaring singing rose and fell, resounding between heaven and earth.

Endless light, like a waterfall, swept across and tore through the darkness.

Just like the final battle between good and evil in mythology, the Kingdom of Heaven is about to descend to earth, and all heretics and sinners will be burned in the radiance, and all sins will be judged by the gods.

"Sinners, die!"

The angels, burning with holy light, broke through the storm and rushed towards the scar on the earth, their momentum overwhelming. And what responded to them were colossal cannons rising from the rift…

"Fire freely, no need to aim."

Ji Jue casually waved his hand: "With this scale, you can hit it no matter what you shoot."

Before the words were even finished, the massive cannons, like a forest of flames, spewed forth from the darkness, resembling giant trees of light growing from the earth.

In an instant, a sky full of blood-red fireworks exploded.

Not to be outdone, Tiancheng displayed its power. In the blink of an eye, traces of holy seals appeared above the empty sky, from which countless streams of light shot out.

Under the constant bursts of intense light, everything appeared so gloomy.

Only streaks of scorching red, like iron wires, stretched between heaven and earth, intertwining, colliding, annihilating each other, or brushing past each other, falling into the distance.

Ji Jue waved his hand once more, and all the holy light that had fallen into the border prison crashed into the void and dissipated.

This time, however, the power was not brought under control. After dissipating, it flowed to other angels, making them stronger. Even after an angel died, it would travel a long distance to return to the heavenly radiance.

It was almost as if it possessed its own consciousness.

consciousness?

In a moment of sudden realization, Ji Jue couldn't help but burst out laughing again.

To prevent himself from seizing divine power, he has gone to such lengths to scheme? Admittedly, faith and divine power are ignorant and unbiased, but what if they were given consciousness?

After being infused with a great deal of fanaticism and the devout consciousness generated by prayer, the activated divine power converged into celestial radiance, which spread out through the sacred object as its center.

The countless angels are merely its vessels. In essence, what Ji Jue is fighting against is this 'divine power' that has been given life like a fanatic after the self-nature that has been stripped away by the piety and prayers of countless believers!
Even if his consciousness is almost nonexistent, Ji Jue, who owes him no piety whatsoever, will naturally ignore him. On the contrary, it will erode and burn his control.

it's fine.

You can force a cow to drink water if it doesn't want to.

A forced melon can quench thirst and also taste sweet!
—If you don't come over, do you think I won't grab you?!
When Ji Jue snapped his fingers again, countless thirsty steel demons flew into the sky along with the Netherworld Dragon.

In the clash of holy light and flames, the pitch-black and pure-white torrents finally collided, and countless debris fell like rain.

The blood and engine oil turned into a torrential downpour, pouring out endlessly.

Unlike before when they crumbled at the slightest touch, the angels, now completely enraged, were strengthened and almost every one of them reached the level of the former archangels, collectively leaping up a rank.

Ji Jue was incredibly envious.

If Fei Gong were still alive, would I be in this sorry state?! I'd show you the effects of the two blessing sequences, Inspiration and Transformation, in no time!

Under the blessing of Radiant Light, the angels' recovery and resurrection speed has become outrageously fast, almost like bringing a spring to Ji Jue's doorstep, where they can be killed and reborn at will, and are inexhaustible.

In contrast, the Steel Demons became much weaker, finding it difficult to gain the upper hand, and could only rely on the terrain around the wounds to defend and counterattack.

They were completely overwhelmed and their few attempts to fight back were all crushed and pushed back.

A group of fearless, fanatical enemies who would not back down even when their legion was reduced to 99 percent, and who would even take their opponents down with them, would make anyone's scalp tingle.

The problem is... now it's both sides!

Not only was Ji Jue disgusted, but the newly appointed saint, whom the two hosts were besieging, was also feeling utterly disgusted.

Since the start of the war, countless lives have been lost. Not only have we failed to even break through the gates of the border prison, but we haven't even inflicted any effective casualties... It's not because the angels didn't try, but because the enemy is completely inhuman!

Every single one of the demons released to fight is a drone!

As long as the fighters lying in Paradise can continue, even if a demon is defeated, it's just a matter of changing the mech... As for such mechs, hehe, guess how many there are in the Border Prison's warehouse?

If you dare give Ember a workshop, Ember will bring you endless terror. What's more, that bastard Ji Jue is a beast born from mechanical engineering. When the assembly line starts turning, sparks fly out. And since the Spirit of Creation appeared, it hasn't stopped for 24 hours, and it's still expanding production and speeding up...

Thus, a grand and magnificent duel turned into a dazzling special effects show. The two sides fought with all their might for a long time, but they didn't see any results. The duel turned into a battle of energy, and then into a battle of attrition.

Having ruled this world for so many years, Tiancheng naturally possessed boundless resources, enough to inflict damage without hesitation. However, the Border Prison's recovery speed was simply too damn fast. One wave crumbled, another surged forward; before one wave was even depleted, the next was already being prepared, and then the wave after that was already being shipped out of the warehouse. Meanwhile, on the assembly line, countless mechanical arms were producing brand-new mechs, and even, depending on the situation, were beginning to manufacture entirely new weapons and equipment…

At the same time, more and more 'hunts' were continuously sent in to replenish the supplies.

The weapons used by the demons all employ the techniques of solid alchemy. As long as damage is inflicted, divine power can be drawn from them and sealed within, so that even the heavenly radiance cannot pull them back.

Like ants carrying an elephant, spears gleaming with intense light were thrown into the furnace, burning fiercely and releasing their divine power, becoming firewood.

Meanwhile, more guns and bullets were gushing out of the assembly line, piling up like mountains, lined up and waiting to be fired and reloaded.

At this moment, the channels within Paradise were in an uproar, with countless bubbles rising continuously in the virtual space used as a recruitment plaza.

"4=1, hurry up, join the team and let's go!"

"The first-generation demon boss led the team to quickly achieve the 100-kill achievement on the Southern Frontline. The results are verifiable!"

"New equipment testing mission, double contribution points, hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"Holy crap, how do you operate this new type of mech? Why is the auxiliary system so stupid?"

"Little bro got randomly assigned to the blank system, hahaha, come and laugh at him."

Amidst the commotion, on the catapult track, the cables connecting to the steel demon's body detached one by one, the spiritual infusion was complete, and its scarlet pupils lit up.

Soon, the improved testing equipment was distributed to every combat personnel.

The moment I held it in my hand, the user manual came to mind.

Amidst the blast wave and the storm of flames, the demons and angels, rising once more, clashed, ignoring the damage to their machines and trading their lives for each other.

The spear in his hand pierced through a vital spot, and silver light gushed out.

The angel struggled, flapping his wings, but could not break free from the barbs of the spear. He was pulled by the falling demon and fell into the crevice. Then, the writhing silver light, like living things, completely swallowed him up and turned him into a lifelike statue.

Inside, the Radiant raged and crashed, trying to break free, but unable to escape the Mercury's seal.

The moment it hit the ground, it was attacked by the demons who had been waiting for it. They pierced through it, drained its divine power, and then, before it could commit suicide, it was pinned down by a group of people, shackled, and tied to a fixed device.

"Quick, quick, quick! Fresh stuff!"

"While it's hot! Live ones count for triple contribution points, hurry up and send him in. Don't pull out the freeze gun, lest he commit suicide!"

"Damn it, those of you in the back, don't cut in line! I'm still turning in my mission!"

"Who cares about this or that, first come, first served!"

With a quick snap, the fixing device was installed on the assembly line, and the task was settled on-site.

The shackled angel struggled desperately, roaring and cursing, but no one answered.

"The divine power has been completely drained; it's been handled quite cleanly."

After gesturing with the inspection gun, the sorting staff waved their hand and said, "99% complete, good, send it for mining."

Mining?

The angel couldn't help but sneer, his face showing disdain.

Even if I die here today, jump off the border prison, and am tortured in every way, I will never raise a pickaxe against heretics and sinners! Come on, you heretics, today I'll show you the backbone of Tiancheng!

I can't wait to see your powerless rage!
Wait, why are you stripping yourself naked...? Why are you sticking electrodes on your forehead? Aren't you going to mine?
What's that saw for? Wait...wait...

Soon, with a buzzing sound, the brand-new mining machine was sent into the deeper darkness under the operation of the production line.

Then the next wet case, stubbornly waiting to be dealt with, was delivered to the door.

A steady stream.

A furious urging voice rang out from the sky.

The Pope frowned.

Dissatisfied with the current progress.

Therefore, the two saints who were commanding the front line dared not slacken their efforts any longer. They unleashed their divine power, burning their own souls and scattering countless rays of light.

The two saints, who were hastily promoted for the sake of the holy war, both had authority related to large-scale legion warfare. One's authority instantly multiplied the speed of countless angels, while the other descended an unbreakable defense, causing the protection of all angels to flow and be broken down into smaller units, with everyone sharing the same shield.

As long as the legion exists, the defense can be endlessly reinforced.

The boundless radiance pressed down inch by inch, completely shattering the remaining silver clouds. Magnificent and vast, like an iron curtain, it slowly approached, swiftly breaking through the last resistance and uprooting the defenses on the ground.

Amidst the fervent chanting, morale soared once again.

The moment they assembled and launched their attack on the scar, the first newly modified machine sped out from the electric light of the catapult track.

Like a silver morning star rising from hell.

On the spiritual projection screen of Paradise, line after line of text appeared from the pop-up window of the machine's report.

[Data and matters collected, self-imprinted, spiritual essence derived—]

The War-Type Creation Spirit [First Seal] is now complete.

[Authorization verified, driver Yan Fei has logged in.]

—【White Knight, activate!】
boom! ! !
It was as if the world had restarted.

Every tiny sound in the world echoed in my ears like a deafening roar. Countless rays of light shone before my eyes like the sun.

Everything became so clear, so vivid.

Everything is rushing towards us!

An unprecedented burning sensation surged through Yan Fei's soul, causing him to roar out loud, unable to contain himself any longer.

Amidst thunder and flashes of lightning, a colossal war demon descended from the sky, stomping upon the earth. Its six iron wings unfurled, and sharp limbs shot out, instantly tearing a gap through the army, blood splattering as it surged forward!

Six wings! A hundred limbs! Eight arms!

The metal demon head, over ten meters tall, had four eyes that surveyed all directions, while the propulsion device on its back spewed out blue flames as it surged forward.

No need to think; just follow your instincts, and another part of yourself will make the best decision.

Without hesitation, just unleash your killing spree, and the Iron Demon will seek out its enemies on its own!

The new body and one's consciousness seemed to be completely integrated, without any of the previous sluggishness and slowness. There was no need to think; when the subconscious reaction appeared in the mind, the body would react naturally.

Giant axe, spear, chainsaw, longsword, dual swords, machine gun, and shield.

The backpack was equipped with two cannons, a series of artillery pieces directly connected to the back of the prison, hundreds of fluid auxiliary limbs, and countless catapult-launched knives on six iron wings...

With the assistance of the [First Seal] system, the demon, engrossed in the slaughter, instantly carved a bloody path forward.

With each swing, severed limbs flew through the air, and blood splattered everywhere.

Like a scarlet shooting star, it flew straight ahead.

Behind him, more and more new types of demons launched a counterattack.

After a long period of data collection and self-refinement, the new Creation Spirit was finally completed. Created for the purpose of war, the Creation Spirit unleashed a violent wave of blood and fire the moment it was deployed to the battlefield.

All sluggishness and slowness have disappeared. Even the pilot is no longer necessary. However, when it is determined that the pilot is unable to exert the system's power, the spirit of creation will take over part of the machine and allow it to operate freely.

Now, the priorities have gradually been reversed.

With the iteration and breakthroughs of the Creator's Spirit, the driver, in turn, becomes an assistant to the system!

A vast array of response strategies are ingrained in their instincts, requiring no thought and exhibiting reaction speeds far exceeding human capabilities. This allows for accelerations of tens or even hundreds of times, even supersonic warfare. Simultaneous deployment and use of eight or more weapons, with no need for reaction-based targeting or positioning, enables unrestrained and devastating attacks.

So, after the auxiliary system's notification sounded with a "ding," Amagi suddenly realized... that these heretics had started to turn!
(End of this chapter)