Above Destiny

Chapter 567 What a pity
A violent storm raged, with lightning and thunder.

The raging waves resembled dancing mountains, and in the darkness, streaks of lightning, like trees, descended from the sky.

Amidst the magnificent and overwhelming destruction, the Prosperity rose and fell on the crest of the waves, its steel twisting and groaning.

Sometimes it is thrown out by the waves and soars into the air, and sometimes it falls into the trough of the waves and is almost completely swallowed by the sea.

Countless torrential rains blanketed the sea and sky.

The peaceful night sky vanished, leaving behind only a cruel and desolate hellish landscape.

"What a blessing."

Ji Jue sighed sincerely, "To run into someone so soon after arriving, is this a unique feature of the Central Plains?"

A person was walking along the road, doing nothing, when a group of people rushed out and started shooting indiscriminately... Everyone's lives were chaotic, and their deaths were inexplicable. It all boils down to the idea that life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are determined by heaven.

very nice.

After spending a long time in the calm and peaceful Haizhou, I was pleasantly surprised – I was walking down the street and suddenly some ingredients jumped into the pot.

Is this what makes travel so wonderful?
Ji Jue has begun to like this feeling!
Alarms blared one after another.

In the projection of the sonar system, one red dot after another rapidly emerged from the sea around the Prosperity, multiplying and spreading at a visible speed, numbering in the hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands.

There wasn't even time to count...

In the blink of an eye, the entire screen was filled with the crimson color formed by the converging red dots.

boom.

A thunderclap swept across, and lightning flashed, instantly piercing the darkness of the sea and illuminating the eerie, moving silhouettes beneath the surface.

It's like... a hybrid of some kind of fish and insect, with prominent compound eyes on its head, and limbs extending out like tentacles from its huge body covered in fish scales, while its mouth is made of sharp chitinous mouthparts.

The largest one was almost as big as a minivan...

It combines the ugliness of arthropods with the eeriness of marine life.

Creepy.

Even more terrifying is that countless larvae in the seawater are rapidly expanding, growing, and transforming into ferocious behemoths.

Click, click, click, click...

A chilling, low-pitched sound echoed continuously from the seawater.

That's the sound of growth.

This is the locust plague that fishermen fear so much!
The monstrous beasts that emerge from the ocean are not so frightening when they are alone, but once they appear, their numbers become almost endless, like a nightmare!

The scariest thing is that these things eat everything!
When it enters its explosive phase, metals, rubber, plastics, flesh and blood... fish and microorganisms in the seawater are all on its menu. Once it is eaten, it will be completely absorbed and transformed, and it can develop from an egg to a mature stage in just a few minutes.

It was less a living thing and more a kind of disaster.

Once they have consumed the entire sea area, they will begin to mate and lay eggs frantically, and then die quickly.

Drifting with the current, or sinking into the abyss, going in all directions, once the population reaches a certain level, it will enter another period of explosive growth, rapidly hatching, rapidly growing, and once again sweeping everything away.

If they weren't in the egg stage, where they would be eaten by many sea fish, it would have been difficult to control them long ago.

At this moment, all that could be seen in the sea were layers upon layers of dark shadows, constantly converging, and where the lightning struck, there was not a single gap.

Despite its enormous scale, it was merely a small-scale outbreak...

But why did it have to run right into me?
"I see...it's pheromones?"

Amidst countless sharp sounds like steel scraping against steel, Ji Jue pondered to himself, and gradually realized something.

It's likely that someone has planted bait on their ship that could trigger a locust rampage.

A vortex system.

The transformation of vortex systems can be massive or minute. When massive, they resemble clouds hanging from the sky; when minute, they are hidden and formless, spreading silently among bacteria and cells.

In other words, he was already being watched when he was resupplying in the seven cities?

There's no need to even get close.

A single barnacle clinging to the sea is enough to bring secretions that trigger a swarm of locusts...

At this moment, the ship's paint was peeling off rapidly, and the armor on the ship's hull was also being dented, peeled off, and even detached from the sea locusts. In the instant that the armor fell off, it was swarmed by more larvae and devoured.

Between the sea and the sky, the already precarious Prosperity, under the relentless attack, could barely hold on.

But what about sea locusts?

Ji Jue waited in confusion, looking around, but could not detect any other signs.

Are you still waiting and watching?
Or……

He lowered his eyes and stared at the countless red dots on the sonar system: among the countless locusts, were there one or two anomalies hiding among them?

It doesn't matter anymore.

It's been so long since I've had a proper fight with anyone.

For a moment, he actually felt a sense of anticipation.

"I really hope Isis won't be angry when she finds out."

He leaned back in his chair, sighing softly, his fingers tapping on the armrest...

A roar erupted from the Prosperity.

Thick armor plates rapidly detached from the hull, and then, beneath the peeling paint and plating, in the gray-black metal, streaks of scarlet veins, like pulses, silently emerged and pulsated.

In an instant, pitch-black spiritual energy surged through the spiritual energy circuits that permeated the ship's hull.

Under the control of non-aggression, the three phases of alchemy rotate.

Fluid alchemy uses spiritual energy to enhance matter; solid alchemy uses matter to stabilize spiritual energy; gaseous alchemy uses spiritual energy to plunder matter.

With the enhancement of Earth's Bearing and Sea's Embrace, the massive hull was shrouded in blood-red light, and the enhancement level climbed steadily. In an instant, the once ordinary cargo ship shed its dust and disguise, becoming excellent material.

Then immediately—

—【Deus Ex】!
Blessing Chain - Inspiration: Imbues all mechanical creations with soul; wherever the non-aggressive hand reaches, activation begins! Blessing Chain - Metamorphosis: Forcefully elevates the material of all alchemical creations to a higher level!
boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
Amidst thunder and lightning, and the onslaught of countless locusts, sparks flew across the entire Prosperity, transforming in an instant and transcending the boundaries between the mundane and the miraculous.

It transformed into an absolute monster!

On both sides of the ship's hull, crimson eyes opened, and then, on the bow, a crack appeared out of thin air, and a giant mouth opened.

From a lone boat amidst raging waves, it transforms into a giant steel mechanical whale, swimming freely among the earth-shattering tides, as if it were in its own water.

The moment the giant mouth opened, it was like a whale sucking in water; a terrifying vortex emerged from the darkness and swallowed everything!
Whether it was the seawater, the waves, or the endless giant sea locusts in the seawater at this moment, they were all continuously sucked into the belly of the Prosperity.

Inside the unrecognizable cabin, as the seawater surged, the crisscrossing, rotating propellers began to spin wildly. Countless sea locusts didn't even have time to open their mouths before they were smashed into a pulp by the wildly spinning propellers. From their spiritual essence to their flesh and blood, they were all absorbed by the corrupted Earth-Bearing Sea and transformed into part of the Prosperity.

The thoroughly filtered seawater gushed out from the huge stern nozzle, which, in turn, helped to accelerate the Prosperity!

At this very moment, in the pitch-black ocean, countless sea locusts instantly became an unlimited source of food. Amidst the thirsty roar of the Prosperity, the true monster revealed its true form!
Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat!
The more it devoured, the more intense the blood-red light and darkness swirling around the ship became, until finally, it seemed as if it were enveloped in scarlet flames, its ferocious power rampaging!

The deadly poison inherent in the sea locust's body and the pollution in its spiritual essence seem to exist as if they don't exist. No, they are like cumin on roasted meat or scallions in thick soup, which only enhance the flavor!
The moment they sensed the presence of the terrifying predator, countless locusts subtly retreated, as if in fear. Unfortunately, it was too late.

Prosperity, a taste that will leave you wanting more!

Where to run?
The giant mouth opened again, swallowing and sucking fiercely. I was sucking and sucking and sucking!

In the shadows, some people had already started sweating.

Panicked.

Unexpectedly, his once invincible killing move was now being countered by his opponent. What should have at least put his opponent in a precarious situation was now finding himself struggling to defend himself.

"Done yet!"

The attacker in the shadows gritted his teeth and endured, urging, "Hurry up, you bastard!"

"It'll be here soon, it'll be here soon!"

A strained voice sounded from the soul link, "It'll be over soon, you hold on!"

"But you have to be able to withstand it!"

The attacker was using every ounce of strength he had: "Fuck you, go faster!!!"

"I said, it'll be almost done! Don't rush me!!!"

The voice on the other end also became hoarse and agitated, as if enduring terrifying pain and torment, gradually going mad: "Stop babbling, just hold on!"
If you can't hold out, I'll kill you and use you as a sacrifice for the flag!

The attacker then fell silent.

He swallowed all the profanities and anger, and once again, he urged change—the endless sea locusts suddenly went berserk, as if they had gone mad, and began to devour each other.

After swallowing their own kind, the bodies of the new sea locusts gleamed with an iron sheen, their exoskeletons rapidly hardening, and more importantly…

laugh!
A piercing sound suddenly emerged from the propellers inside the Prosperity, and amidst the stench and pungent smell, the boiling seawater faintly revealed a hint of scarlet.

Acid etching!

As a large number of locusts burst open, the pH of the seawater around the Prosperity changed rapidly, turning into a strong acid that corrodes all metals in an instant!

The sea of ​​strong acid relentlessly scorched the steel, and just before they died, each sea locust would rapidly expand and self-destruct. Even if it only left a tiny trace, its terrifying number was enough to make the rampaging steel monster hesitate and restrain itself.

"So there really are vortex systems?"

Ji Jue sighed in surprise, not because he was surprised that someone had actually attacked him, but because he hadn't expected the other party to have such poor composure.

"So you couldn't resist showing your face now?"

If you had simply stuck to the status quo and stubbornly endured it with me, you might have lasted a long time. But you actually sought change in front of the craftsman...

Changes occur in sequence.

In a situation where the forces are evenly matched, the one who changes first may gain a certain advantage, but it also means that they have been forced to change.

Besides, aren't we evenly matched?
No matter how much you change, can you ever surpass the craftsmen in the workshop?!
"Go back and practice some more."

In that instant, Ji Jue flicked his sword, and amidst thunder and lightning and the roar of the ocean waves, a faint murmur from an unknown source spread to everyone's ears.

It's terrifying!
Then, all was silent.

Visible silver waves spread from the Prosperity, the boiling tide suddenly froze, calmed, as if frozen, along with the countless sea locusts on the surface of the sea.

Suddenly, the wind and waves subsided!
As the mercury flowed and spread, the turbulent sea surface instantly became smooth as a mirror, perfectly uniform and balanced, reflecting the lightning above the sky.

It's like a perfectly round obsidian mirror.

Reflecting the dark sky, the bursts of lightning, and even the magnificent tree that soars into the sky, countless lush branches extend from the hull of the ship and spread in all directions.

But in the deathly silence, between the sea and the sky, there was nothing but emptiness.

The giant tree has vanished without a trace.

No, that's not a mirror reflection...

Rather, it was a terrifying sight beneath the surface of the sea!
The mercury waterfall gushing from the hull flows at lightning speed, extending, expanding, and hardening into bizarrely twisted branches.

One after another, sharp mercury branches spread out from it, piercing into the bodies of the surrounding locusts, instantly draining them of all life and soul, and then using this as a means to split apart again.

One splits into two, two splits into four, four splits into eight... It grows exponentially, and after dozens of extensions, it is almost as thin as a spider silk, yet as sharp as a needle. It easily pierces the sea locust's carapace and then devours it!
The brilliant silver-white surface was instantly punctuated by streaks of crimson, like pulses. Unfazed by the corrosive effects of the strong acid, it acted like a straw, instantly sucking up all the sea locusts that had filled the seabed beneath the surface, turning them into empty milk cartons, barely missing the gurgling echo.

Inside the basement, between layers of spiritual energy circuits, the blood-red light on the Pan Ying Sword surged like a waterfall, violently sucked in by the little ox and horse crouching nearby, accepting everything without exception!
With a flick of its tail, the brutal dragon armor tossed aside a carefully extended cable.

He turned his head and exhaled, baring his teeth!
Ignoring the Prosperity's whimpering hunger.

What the heck, you're eating at the same table with me?

Do you understand what this blood sacrifice entails?!

It had to be me! The Prosperity's cables could only be coiled up and left aside, carefully sucking on the bits of food that leaked from the calf's mouth.

In contrast, from the shattered locusts, screams of agony rose and fell in succession. Massive amounts of flesh-like tissue burst forth from the parasitic locusts, fearfully fleeing from the mercury branches that followed them like shadows.

Amidst the mingling of flesh and blood, a terrified face emerged, screaming hoarsely.

"Hibet, help me, help me!!!"

"Damn, trash!"

Hibbert launched into a tirade, his voice hoarse.

As the sea locusts rapidly dwindled, the bloody light hidden beneath the layers of locusts finally surfaced in Ji Jue's observations.

It was a large group shrouded in blood and fire, with violent fluctuations of spiritual energy, erupting again and again like a volcano, reaching its highest peak.

It's like an endless process of improvement!
From the moment the sea locusts appeared until now, in just a few minutes, the spiritual energy fluctuations within that body, which had expanded to its limit and resembled a giant, had increased dozens of times!
The already terrifying numbers are still climbing at a visible rate...

The fever spiked to a point where it was almost unbearable for him; his face, flushed and ashen, was covered in bluish-purple veins, making him look like a monstrous demon.

It's a pity that it hasn't reached its limit yet, but it's already enough!

Covered in viscous blood and fire, an exaggerated smile appeared on that muscular face as the flesh was squeezed and writhed.

The murderous intent and rage that surged endlessly along with the power erupted at this moment!
In the blink of an eye, a large group of reborn Chosen Ones broke through the void and arrived!

There was no spiritual fluctuation, no amazing skill, it was as if... he was just taking a step?
And so, something earth-shattering happened.

The frozen sea surface shattered instantly under the interference of physical properties. With one step, it transformed into a scarlet meteor, hurtling straight toward the Prosperity!
He didn't even bother to dodge when a shell whizzed toward his head.

Instead, it went straight at you and crashed into you!

It easily smashed the alloy armor-piercing projectile into a pile of mud.

As if sensing Ji Jue's location, Hibet charged straight at him, ignoring the bombardment and taking all the attacks head-on, only getting his clothes slightly dirty.

The whale crashed head-on into the heavily reinforced hull of the Prosperity, nearly lifting the giant whale into the air and leaving a visible dent in its thick hull.

Rebirth Rank? This is a rebirth rank?

Ji Jue was stunned for a moment—putting aside the unpredictable Old Tang, this number already far exceeded Pacquiao's when he delivered goods to Xinquan back then!
Outrageous!

Has the version been updated, and Pacquiao, who once dominated the eastern part of the Endless Sea, has become a pushover? Surely he can't be like those shonen manga, suffering the loss of being the first to appear, right?

No, it's the tradition of burnt offering!
Upon noticing the unusual aura of blood flames emanating from the other person's body, Ji Jue suddenly realized what was going on.

Who knows what kind of person the other side's priest is!
There are no fancy ways to trade injuries, just simple, unadorned numbers, numbers, and more numbers—it's all just numbers!
Strength, defense, and agility are all maxed out, and on top of the already exaggerated base stats, they are visibly increasing!
So the previous vortex system was just a smokescreen to buy this guy time?
Hibernate was also stunned. He hadn't expected that his stats, which had been pushed to such an absurd level, would actually be able to withstand his impact, even though the ship's planks, which he had anticipated tearing the newspaper apart, were actually capable of stopping him!

Immediately, without thinking, he abandoned the thought process.

Murderous intent and fanaticism once again took over his mind.

One punch, thrown!

boom! ! !
The ship shook violently, then shook again, and then shook even more!
Amidst hysterical laughter, countless punches were thrown in an instant. Under the blessing of battle-hardened strength, the battle-hardened iron fists transformed into invincible divine weapons.

In the blink of an eye, a large hole was torn open in the hull.

Immediately afterwards, it raged through the cabin, ignoring the walls and charging straight toward Ji Jue. The continuous roaring sounds were compressed into a single instant.

In the blink of an eye, the twelve layers of ship planks and even the spiritual energy blockade along the way were broken through layer by layer in the erupting blood flames!
In the blink of an eye, that ferocious and violent face was already within reach.

Without any hesitation, and ignoring any attacks.

make a prompt decision.

He punched Ji Jue right in the forehead!
A storm erupted, accompanied by deafening roars.

Ji Jue, expressionless, raised his palm.

boom! ! !
The entire ship shuddered violently once again, causing the entire sea to surge and waves to rise and spread out of nowhere, with terrifying power exploding within the spray.

Iron light danced and covered Ji Jue's body, revealing the Dragon Mountain Armor.

— [Immovable as a mountain]!
The punch, powerful enough to shatter Ji Jue into pieces, was directed throughout the entire sea area, spreading out evenly, with only a sharp, metallic sound of fatigue ringing out.

"Seven million four hundred and ten thousand."

A soft sigh came from beneath the armor: "No, it's 11.77 million now."

"What are you talking about?"

Hibbert's eyes were bloodshot, and without thinking, he threw another punch, completely unaware of what he was saying.

But this time, his fist missed its mark.

Longshan vanished into thin air.

It appeared... behind him.

Immediately afterwards, the sword of Pan Ying pierced through the body, creating a fist-sized hole in the flesh.

"It's okay if you don't understand," Ji Jue's voice rang out softly, "but you'd better pray you can scrape together that much money, otherwise..."

boom! ! !
Ignoring the blade piercing his chest, Hibet turned abruptly, tearing open the wound, and threw another punch, colliding with the Longshan armor, becoming increasingly frenzied.

But a hint of horror appeared in those blood-red eyes.

For some reason, I felt a strange sense of dread...

Something is wrong!
His previously maniacal laughter froze for a mere instant. When the craftsman thrust out that elusive, blood-stained blade once more, he actually dodged!

My inner self, my instincts, my subconscious—everything was on high alert.

Because the traditional burnt offering ceremony was actually disrupted!
Accustomed to swiftly defeating enemies and ignoring any injuries, he found his strength had plummeted when he threw another punch!
The connection with the priest has been shaken!
Even the wound on her chest could not be healed, and there were still traces of crimson, like bacteria, remaining in the wound and spreading faintly.

It's the aura of other priests!

That sword also carries the legacy of other priests!
In fact, there was more than one!
Hibbert started sweating.

Where the hell did this Legion artifact come from?

The scars could not heal, and the erosion was like a maggot clinging to the bone. Even the sword itself made him feel like he was being pricked by thorns. After being slashed, the value that had originally increased exponentially dropped significantly. It would take another three seconds to get it back to the original level.

However, within the body's maximum endurance time, those missing three seconds will cause the final value to plummet by more than half!
Before he could even muster his limited capacity for thought, the broken sword, shimmering with a faint crimson hue, pierced through him once more!

The light and flames were light and ethereal, like a dream.

Yet it is so grotesque that it sends chills down your spine!

There were no more loud noises, only an unbearable, sharp, grinding sound.

His arms were crossed, blocking in front of him. The blade collided and rubbed against his skin, which had hardened to its limit, like a hot knife cutting through wax, slicing through the outer layer of blood flames and colliding with the defense that had been strengthened to its limit.

There wasn't even a broken skin.

Now, the smile on his face has completely disappeared.

Mom, there's a phone hanging up!
The resonance between Hibet and the priest plummeted again, which was incomprehensible—did not breaking the defense even count?!

After questioning life and feeling terrified, one is filled with a sense of dread!
Even though the current numbers are still terrifying, without the efficiency to improve, one can only react passively. If you fall into a craftsman's workshop and can't easily eliminate the craftsman, they will find ways to eliminate you in return…

Sweating profusely, he listened intently to the sounds around him, unable to contain his anger any longer.

—Just after he had drawn all the artisans’ firepower, the Vortex Chosen One, who had gotten a chance to catch his breath, actually didn’t come to help him dismantle the workshop?
Instead, it has made me sink deeper and deeper into trouble, unable to extricate myself...

Hibet roared, "Prusa, you piece of trash, what are you dawdling about?!"

Prusa did not answer.

There were only wails and sobs.

Outside the Prosperity, amidst the raging storm, the Vortex Chosen One named Prusa, having finally managed to gather all the organizations together, barely had time to catch his breath before his expression involuntarily changed drastically.

Something's not right, something's not right, something's not right.

His life force is recovering at an alarming rate. Just like the characteristics of the vortex system, in just a few seconds, he went from being severely injured to fully recovered. But... but why is he still improving?
The damaged tissue is being rapidly repaired, but after it is repaired, why are fish scales appearing on my flesh?

When he finally looked down at his own body, he realized that among the countless pieces of his own flesh and tissue, there seemed to be something extra!
When he finally realized what the extra thing was, an unprecedented despair and fear completely engulfed his soul.

Finished!

It's all over!
The essence extracted from the 'fish scales' had silently seeped into his body as his flesh and blood grew, sprouting, growing, and spreading rapidly like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Then, it took over and began to erode his body relentlessly.

Conversely, it rapidly transforms his flesh and life, causing a monstrous change...

The greater the life force that did not belong to him, the more heart-wrenching his screams became.

In his terror, he futilely dug out pieces of his own flesh, but his mutilated limbs were rapidly regenerating. More fish scales grew from the deformed flesh, followed by bizarre fish heads, layer upon layer, until they became a horrifying sight.

Finally, amidst the proliferation of countless fish heads, the face belonging to Prusa had been squeezed and twisted into a tiny slit.

There wasn't even time to shed a final tear.

Snapped!
The rushing mercury completely engulfed him, sealed by solid alchemy.

Recycling complete.

There was no further sound.

"It seems your teammates have already left first?"

A mocking voice came from beneath Longshan's iron mask.

Ji Jue stared at his persistent manner, his sword flashing and slashing, and asked slowly and deliberately as if having a casual conversation: "So here's the question, why don't you run away? Can't you run away? Surely not? What's the point of clinging on like this? No, perhaps it is. Are you trying to get my attention?"
Let me guess—

In a fleeting moment, Ji Jue lowered his gaze, looking down at that futile, ferocious, empty expression. The metallic face grinned like a wild beast, full of anticipation:

"—You guys don't have another teammate, do you?"

In a sudden moment of stunned silence, Hibbert's pupils contracted to their limit.

Then, he erupted completely, lunging at Ji Jue with reckless abandon, as if courting death.

Amidst the raging storm, blood and fire surged like a tide.

Without any more reservations, unleash your full power!
Head-to-head!
The waves spread, the loud noise echoed, and as the Pan Ying pierced through, Ji Jue's other hand pressed against his face—Jing Zhen!
boom!
A muffled thud came from Hibbert's head as his brain shattered, half his face and half his skull were smashed to pieces, and his brain matter gushed out of his mouth and nose.

But the resolute look on that face grew even stronger. Ignoring the devastation inflicted by Pan Ying, he gripped the wrist of the Longshan armor with one hand, and with the other, he clenched his fist again, swallowing up all the blood and fire.

Risking their lives, all their strength was concentrated in a single strike, almost like a self-destruction.

Swing out!

At the same time, behind Ji Jue, in the void, a ripple appeared in the air.

By the time you realize there's trouble, it's already over.

--【prick】!
Since the start of the war, the White Deer, which had silently infiltrated the Prosperity, has suddenly appeared!
After charging up for an unknown amount of time, the sharpest and darkest edge, when Ji Jue had absolutely no time to look at anything else, pierced through the Longshan armor and Ji Jue's chest from behind, tearing his soul apart!

Won!

Hibbert couldn't help but grin.

With all his might, he unleashed a devastating punch forward, aiming to crush his opponent into dust.

But at that moment, he noticed a hint of regret in Ji Jue's expression.
pity.

Ji Jue sighed regretfully.

After waiting for so long, it wasn't a wolf after all.

　I woke up to find the group chat exploding...

　　I've created a new group, and I hope everyone will cherish it... because I don't have any more savings to buy a new 2,000-person group, sob sob...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)