The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 612 Furnace Fission
He took a deep breath and reached his hands toward the chaotic core furnace at the center of the altar.

A large magical device inlaid with ancient runes and surrounded by a vortex of blazing blue-gold flames.

Its core contains a profound and unfathomable power, as mysterious as the endless universe, and is the key to connecting all other energy sources and the laws of order.

"Now... let's begin." His voice was deep, yet it resonated in everyone's hearts like a thunderclap.

He slowly placed the three crystals into the center of the vortex of flames, and instantly, a blazing yet peaceful light burst forth.

Flames suddenly surged and spread within the chaotic core furnace, with strands of golden and blue light weaving into a net that gradually absorbed and merged the three conflicting energies.

However, this integration process was far more difficult and dangerous than anyone had anticipated.

Space began to distort slightly, and the unstable forces that had been suppressed broke free of their cages like raging beasts.

Outside the vortex of flames, chilling winds howled out from the cracks, like the roars of ferocious beasts that had been lurking under the cover of night.

Suddenly, a deafening roar, as if tearing through the sky, came from above. A spatial rift ripped through the boundary of the heavens at an astonishing speed. The dark abyss surged like a bottomless tidal wave, and several large, distorted monsters exuding a foul, corrosive stench poured into the rift.

These creatures were covered in black scales, and their eyes were blood red like burning embers. As they moved through the void, they created waves of corrosive energy, making the surrounding space resemble shattered glass fluttering and scattering fragments.

"Enemy attack!" Cynthia reacted quickly. Her cold gaze was as sharp as a blade slicing through the air. She raised her icy sword, and an invisible torrent of frost instantly spread out, freezing the spacetime rift into a thick, solid ice barrier.

"We cannot let them break through here!" Her voice was firm and powerful, and her whole body exuded a chilling aura, like a winter storm in the North that had become a tangible guardian.

The members of the Witch Knights quickly deployed around the altar, each displaying their unique skills: Lucia gathered star arcane magic, weaving a dense magical net with silver-blue starlight.
Lia guides the Life Rune to activate the power of the earth, providing a continuous source of defense;
Annie sneered as she moved along the edge of the shadows, casting Soul Eater spells to weaken the enemy's will and disrupt their rhythm of action.

Hill swung his sword to slay the approaching beast shadow, using the lightning-fast sword light to create space for battle and buy precious time for his teammates.

Meanwhile, the guards in the distance used arrows and projectiles to help contain the enemy's offensive. Each whistling arrow carried a subtle magical trajectory, making the attack more penetrating and threatening.

However, the enemy was numerous and extremely ferocious. They used the residual fluctuations of the spacetime rift to move quickly and launch ferocious attacks from different directions. Some even hid in the shadows to ambush, causing the pressure on the defense line to increase exponentially.

David sat in the center, his face resolute, pouring the new holy flame into every meridian in his body. At the same time, he stretched out his left arm to continuously infuse the divinity of redemption in order to stabilize the fusion process of the three hearts. However, he did not expect that the strong backlash brought by the Shadow Heart would be extremely cruel.

Each injection caused his left arm muscles to atrophy rapidly, exposing the bones, like withered wood turning to bones. But he gritted his teeth and silently endured the pain, not letting it affect his willpower!
"We cannot back down, no matter the cost!" he muttered through gritted teeth, his entire body erupting with unprecedentedly intense holy flame energy, creating a stark contrast with the raging darkness outside.

His eyes burned as he gazed at the battlefield: "All members of the Witch Knights! Hold this place to the death, advance fearlessly! This ritual concerns the future and survival of all races; we cannot fail!"

As time seemed to stand still yet flow by rapidly, the Chaos Furnace continued to absorb and harmonize the three heterogeneous forces, while the guardians used their blood and will to build an unbreakable barrier against the layers of attacks from the abyssal monsters.

In an instant, the sounds of battle and the deafening explosions of magic echoed through the forest, shrouding this eternally forbidden land in the heart of an epic life-or-death trial!
The entire altar was filled with a heavy, mysterious atmosphere. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of burnt leaves and the remnants of the sacred flames. Everything seemed solemn and majestic, yet fraught with danger.

Just as everyone was doing their best to protect the crucial moment of the fusion ceremony, a dark vortex suddenly surged out from inside the Heart of Light.

The vortex was as deep and bottomless as if carved from obsidian, yet it radiated an alluring and fiery glow.

At the center of the vortex, a familiar yet twisted and hideous human face emerged.

The remnant soul of the Pope, a fragment of his soul that once wielded the authority of the Holy Light but was sealed here due to his madness and depravity.

The remnant soul's eyes burned with scarlet flames, flames mixed with endless rage and curses.

He slowly opened his lips, his voice like a cold storm howling in the abyss of ruins: "Do you think that destroying my physical body will end me?"
"Wrong! I will use this holy flame to purify all blasphemers and send this world back into the flames of divine punishment!"

Before he finished speaking, he unleashed a deafening roar, and a massive wave of golden flames erupted from the depths of the Heart of Light, sweeping towards the Chaos Furnace like a raging storm.

This holy yet extremely hot power possesses a purifying property akin to poison, constantly eroding the surrounding space, causing cracks to appear in the rune array on the altar, and countless scorching wisps of smoke to fill the air.

"Stop him!" Lucia exclaimed, her hands swiftly tracing runes in the air as she used rapid arcane spells to reinforce the defensive barrier.

But even her powerful magic felt the excessive pressure causing a slight imbalance in her power.

A cold, cunning look appeared on Anne's face as she swiftly activated her mental chains.

Formed from the essence of shadow, the spiritual ropes that coiled in the void spread rapidly like a spider web, tightly binding the Pope's remnant soul.

The chains gleamed coldly in the dark, flowing light, and each tightening caused the opponent to scream in agony.

“You won’t escape from here!” Anne threatened in a low voice, her eyes as deep and cold as the night sky, the ancient curse that stripped away the essence of the soul and disintegrated the mental structure making the atmosphere extremely heavy.

However, the Pope's remnant soul refused to be bound, and he struggled violently with his twisted mental power, causing the chains to vibrate violently.

The black shadows and golden holy flames collided fiercely, creating a distorted spatial current that seemed poised to devour the entire altar.

At that moment, Arya stepped forward from the crowd, her eyes glowing with crimson light, and her entire body emanating the unique, alluring, and eerie aura of the Blood Prison Secret Technique.

This is an ancient forbidden technique that uses "soul and blood exchange" to transfer the burning pain of the opponent into one's own body, while exchanging a portion of each other's life essence, in order to weaken the enemy's power and protect key targets from harm.

Arya's face was pale, but her determination was unwavering. "David, I will take this pain for you. You only need to protect the newborns. Leave the rest to me."

She parted her lips slightly and chanted a secret incantation. The crimson runes spread from her palms to her entire body, leaving faint bloodline patterns on her skin, as if she herself were a living furnace forging in hell.

A scorching yet destructively beautiful energy instantly converged within his body, forming a powerful dimensional reversal fluctuation with the holy flames released by the Pope's remnant soul.

David's pain gradually lessened, and he felt a strange warmth spreading through his body. At the same time, his eyes grew even more resolute: "Thank you... Arya." Just as the two were locked in a tense standoff, a silvery-white light pierced through the clouds and tore through the night.

Irene, wielding the Silver Moon Royal Sword, strode swiftly through the forest, her eyes gleaming with a chilling resolve, like the brightest stars. "Allow me to sever this final shackle!"

Irene walked steadily, each step like a war drum striking the earth.

The sword's edge emitted a clear, cold gleam, drawing dazzling silver streaks through the air.

As she swung her sword at the twisted, churning remnant soul of the Pope with its illusory core, a dazzling silver blade pierced through layers of illusions and suppressive magic, tearing apart and disintegrating the echoes of those imprisoned spirits!
With the sound of its core shattering and exploding, the terrifying shadow gradually dissipated into countless tiny, bright, meteor-like particles, which were then completely devoured and purified by Irene's Moonblade.

In that instant, the entire Chaos Furnace also received an unprecedented boost due to the release of pure power.

The blue-gold flames became even clearer and more transparent, merging with the three crystals and shining brightly like the first stars of the universe!
"The purity of the Heart of Light has been increased to 100%, and the fusion has reached its most perfect state!" Lia announced happily.

At the same time, Lucia also made careful adjustments to the surrounding array to ensure that the stable and durable shield would not collapse and allow the ritual to successfully complete its final stage.

The air was filled with a faint spiritual energy and the fragrance of plants, but behind this tranquility lay an unprecedented and magnificent spectacle.

Inside the Chaos Core Furnace, the fire grew ever more intense, the scorching blue-gold flames resembling the exploding stars of the primordial universe.

The three heart-like pulsating crystals have merged into one, their golden-green runes weaving a continuous, flowing network of light that surges throughout David's body like countless fine threads.

Each rune seemed to carry the pulse of the most ancient and mysterious laws of heaven and earth.

Suddenly, a powerful and profound shockwave came from the depths of the void, tearing through the membrane of time like the roar of an ancient beast. The sound struck the very depths of everyone's soul, causing the leaves of the entire forest to tremble and the ground to bulge slightly.

As the tree canopy swayed, thousands of branches and leaves converged into a storm vortex, casting ever-changing dappled light and shadow under the moonlight.

Following this were twelve dazzling torrents, like twelve brilliant galaxies, bursting forth from the sky. Each of them possessed distinct primal attributes: some roared with lightning and thunder, shaking heaven and earth; some were dark and devouring everything; some were vibrant with life, ever-growing; some were slow-moving with time; and some were distorted and shifting with space...

Each torrent contains endless mysteries and fundamental laws, representing the purest manifestation of the core principles of the multiverse.

These primordial currents, like divine guidance, gathered power into David's body.

He stood in the center of the altar, his new holy flame armor, interwoven with blue and white, shimmering incessantly, his entire body enveloped in radiance.

He closed his eyes and felt the vast, primordial energy of the universe flowing into his body, as if every muscle and bone was being cleansed and reshaped.

However, these twelve torrents of laws were not gentle protections, but rather filled with the immense power of both creation and destruction, constantly impacting the limits of his body and soul.

The power absorbed and fused within the chaotic core had reached its limit, but due to the intense impact, tiny cracks appeared, and wisps of chaotic energy dissipated, spreading and proliferating like a dark, shadowy mist.

"Danger!" Hill frowned, and with a sudden slash of his silver sword, he drove away several stray shadows.

He realized that if the out-of-control force was not stopped in time, it would tear apart the stability of space and trigger an unpredictable catastrophe.

His gaze turned resolutely to the members of the Witch Riders: "Everyone! Use your flesh and blood to build a defensive line! Hold this place to the death!"

Without hesitation, the members of the Witch Knights quickly assembled into a solid formation. They were clad in armor and armed with weapons, and each of their faces radiated steely resolve and fearless courage.

These people, who have been tempered by life and death and whose beliefs are unwavering, have now become the last line of defense, using their lives to safeguard the moment when the new order is born.

The crimson afterglow reflected between them appeared particularly heavy, yet all the more dazzling.

Aliya stood at the edge of the formation, her long silver-gray hair fluttering in the wind, her emerald green eyes reflecting the sparkling stars.

"He...he actually has to endure both the cycle of creation and the cycle of destruction simultaneously!" she exclaimed. "This is not just cultivation, but a great test that transcends the limits of mortal understanding!"

David's body was now radiant with golden-green runes. He slowly opened his eyes, which contained both the scorching heat of the new holy flames and the cold, chaotic shadows, as well as the supple rhythm of life.

Not far away, the thorny chains on the broken throne still slowly wriggled, firmly binding the skeletons of the seventy-four tribal leaders. Faint whispers could be heard from within, a response from the bloodline will to the coronation ceremony of the supreme ruler, and also part of the last defensive barrier against the encroachment of darkness.

“Faith is steel; it will resolve all conflicts,” Lucia whispered, her silver robes billowing gently in the moonlight, her face displaying a resolute yet tender expression. “All races look forward to the future, and we cannot let them down!”

Outside, the night wind howled through the forest, the rustling of countless branches and leaves creating a chilling symphony, occasionally interspersed with the roars of lurking beasts or the frightened flapping of wings of birds, making the air tense yet full of vitality.

It's as if all life in the world is holding its breath and watching all the changes on the eve of this watershed moment in their destiny!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shattered from the sky, and the entire team instantly focused, each unleashing their shields and attack skills to deal with the danger.

The gray-black energy that burst forth from the crack in the chaotic core began to rage wildly and spread to the surroundings. Every time it touched the earth, it left a scorched and corrosive mark, which was terrifying!
Hill swung his sword, slashing away the remaining fragments of the attacking monster. He gritted his teeth and kept his lips tightly pressed together, determined not to back down. "Hold on a little longer, and the true dawn will arrive!"

Cynthia calmly surveyed the battlefield, her cold sword blade slicing through the air, leaving a chilling glint: "No force can defeat us, as long as we hold fast to our beliefs."

Annie moved along the edge of the shadows, a sly smile on her face, while simultaneously unleashing a mental attack to disrupt the enemy's perception and buy precious time for the main force.

Beads of sweat slid down her forehead, but they did not affect her swift and decisive movements.

This is a test that those who uphold their oath must undergo, and a symbol of the responsibility they bear on the path they have chosen!

The entire battlefield seemed to be out of time, constantly intertwining and colliding amidst the roaring torrents of scorching laws, the slicing of icy blades, and the dazzling explosions of spells.

(End of this chapter)