Star Forge Titan

Now, although I have the powerful skill of 'Fighting Steel Armor' which can transcend levels and master stronger power, I have integrated all the defensive talents and skills I originally mastered into it, and have initially completed the progress of summarizing and strengthening my own power system as a superior transcendent.

However, since his soul ability has not been fully awakened, there is a limit to his control over his own strength. In other words, he is temporarily unable to make the defensive barrier truly perfect.

Although the imperfections in Ivan's eyes were invisible to the vast majority of Transcendents of the same or even higher levels, in other words, practically non-existent, he knew that near-perfection wasn't true perfection after all, and that objectively existing deficiencies and flaws wouldn't disappear over time.

Moreover, a person cannot always fight against an enemy weaker than themselves. Just like now, facing an enemy with absolute skills, the tiny hidden dangers that were originally equivalent to non-existent immediately become dangerous loopholes that the enemy can exploit.

Ah, I need to become stronger before I can truly feel at ease...

There is still a long way to go if we want to face all difficulties, obstacles and storms with a smile.

Even though he was enduring the increasingly intense demonic flames and his arms that were holding against the opponent were trembling slightly uncontrollably, the young warrior was exceptionally calm at the moment.

Find the problem, solve it, and make progress.

This has been the way of life he has been most familiar with since his student days.

At least for him, problems that can be solved with hard work are never the most troublesome problems.

If you want to carry out your will to the end, you need to put in 120% effort to do everything you can.

Until I conquer the multitude of the world with my uniqueness!

The strong will seemed to resonate with something, causing Alvin's spirit to shake slightly.

Immediately, an invisible fire ignited in his heart, and his soul, which had not yet fully awakened, was instantly filled with light. A faint golden shadow appeared behind the young warrior.

That was not the soul-like body constructed by the fighting steel armor, but at that time——

Super spiritual doppelganger!

Only those who have practiced the path of the Fire Sword, which symbolizes the awakening of soul power, and have been promoted to the fourth level, are qualified to trigger this special phenomenon.

But now, the super-spiritual double phenomenon actually appeared behind a young warrior who had just been promoted to the third level. Although it seemed that there was still a long way to go before it could be truly formed, this incident itself was very telling.

The Despair Armor, the only one who saw this scene, was not surprised at all, and even felt that it was natural.

This is the strong man who is qualified to fight with me!

This is the destined enemy I am willing to fight until the stars go out!

This is what is worthy of sending me to the end...

The two sides, whose golden gazes and scarlet devil flames were facing each other, were suddenly shocked at the same time. Alvin didn't know what the other party was doing, he just felt a ray of lightning passing quickly across his eyebrows.

The slight sting made Alvin realize that some extremely dangerous attack was approaching rapidly, at a speed almost faster than his super-fast nerve reflex that could make his sense of time almost stop.

Without any hesitation, the young warrior who was wrestling with the Despair Armor exerted force with both hands, causing the metal gauntlets to deform while the whole person and his opponent suddenly disappeared from the spot.

It looked as if a rapidly expanding dark sphere swallowed both of them at the same time.

Dimensional Hadoken Lower Stage 2 - Realm!

The hybrid insect beast's ability to teleport through space, which it once possessed, was now reproduced by Alvin using a brand new dimensional wave flow boxing technique.

Unlike the First Form - Edge, which uses space as a weapon and launches attacks without warning, the so-called Lower Stage - Second Form - Realm can exert similar power on the fist user themselves and even the surrounding objects.

whoosh-

Like a strong wind, the Despair Armor and Ivan, who were being dragged along, appeared not far away.

Compared to the vastness of the universe, this distance can basically be regarded as no movement, but it is precisely this tiny displacement that makes the Despair Armor almost placed in a furnace, a furnace of destruction forged with strong light and high temperature.

The reason why it was 'almost' was because the will within this armor originated from a powerful fighting god. Even if evil, it was the most skilled in combat, its keen sense of battle had long since transcended instinct, transcending the ordinary to the level of sainthood.

The space they were in suddenly shifted, yet the Despair Armor reacted instantly. The skull-shaped thrusters on its back ignited at full power, emitting tongues of flame as massive as a Titan python. Its arms, formed from armor plates, erupted with a force powerful enough to shake mountains, attempting to break free from the young warrior's restraints.

Similarly, the fighting steel armor behind Ivan, which had transformed into a light-cast armor, immediately unfolded its wing-shaped thrusters. Although it was far less broad and beautiful than an angel's wings, at this moment, this mechanical device full of industrial texture spewed out a cone of flames that was thirty meters long!

Within his incredibly developed muscles, strands of magic whirled like electric currents. The iron tendons of his arcane transformation enveloped bundles of long, clear crystal tendons. These were the result of the Orichalcum particles flowing from his bone marrow merging with the iron tendons. This not only further strengthened his muscles' toughness but also steadily increased their load-bearing capacity, driving their output power to a whole new level.

Thus, the arms used by the young warrior to restrain the enemy became more indestructible than armor made of steel! Indestructible!

collapse!collapse!collapse!

The sound of metal crackling echoed from the revived armour of Despair, and two massive currents, through their limbs, engaged in a fierce clash. Even within the void of space, where sound could not be transmitted, the gushing power could be felt! Pure power!

Behind the two contending parties was the long-range attack launched by the Seraphim Lucifer from over 2,000 kilometers away. The gathered light was like a rushing river, rushing rapidly while radiating astonishingly high temperatures to the surroundings.

At this moment, the Despair Armor possessed by the will of the evil god began to turn slightly red. That was the result of the metal armor plates that made up it being burned by high-energy light beams at close range.

But this doesn't satisfy Alvin, because barbecue should be put in the oven!

The silent universe could only accommodate silent roars, but the angry expression on the young warrior's face was almost clearly visible through the iron mask.

The will within the armor was not at all unhappy about this. Instead, it let out an undisguised laugh from within its cavity, appearing to be completely enjoying it.

Is this tolerable? Of course not!

Ivan immediately made his point clear with his actions, then raised his neck slightly and launched a headbutt like a falling star. In response, the Despair Armor, revived by the evil god's possession, didn't flinch, raising its head in the same direction and delivering a similar headbutt.

Boom!Boom!Boom!

one time! Twice! Three times!

The red helmet with devil horns and the golden helmet decorated with eagle wings and celestial rings collided violently.

The metal twisted and cracked, and blood flowed into Ivan's eyes, dyeing his vision golden red.

Get over there!

As his head was bleeding, a silent roar once again resounded through the void of the universe.

With all his might, the young warrior, his armor dyed completely golden, threw a headbutt, uncaringly smashing himself and his enemy into the furnace! A furnace of destruction constructed by light and fire!

Chapter 16: The Holy Sword Awakens, Destiny Divided

In an instant, even though he was protected by the Dou Qi steel armor in the form of light-cast armor, he felt as if his whole body was burning as if it were in a raging fire.

No, even if he really fell into the fire, Ivan wouldn't feel too much pain now. But the high-energy beam emitted by this Seraph was enough to make the young Titan bloodline feel the pain of being burned again.

However, watching the armor of despair, which he had held tightly in his hands, shatter rapidly under long-range artillery fire, Ivan's heart grew as fast as a rapidly inflating balloon, the name of which was probably "gloating".

After all, the actual situation is in favor of Ivan. Although he is also within the attack range at the moment, the enemy blocking in front of him is like a reef, which offsets most of the power. The remaining heat can be completely resisted by the fighting steel armor.

Moreover, seeing the armor coming to life and being deformed bit by bit by the heat was such a joyful feeling that it was hard to resist.

Damn it, I've disliked this guy for a long time!

I was about to go back to the north for vacation, but I met this annoying thing on the way and I couldn't get rid of it.

But then again, this attack method that looks like a space-based laser weapon is most likely the "Heavenly Sin Fire".

It was said to be a weapon of mass destruction, modeled after a lost immortal holy sword, crafted by a wise ancient god. It could be activated simultaneously by multiple Seraphim. Even in the high-level battlefields between the upper planes and the depths of Hell, it was a truly strategic force capable of changing the course of events.

Even including his experience with Virtual Paladia, Ivan had only seen this weapon in action a handful of times. He hadn't expected the Upper Planes to unleash it so quickly and deploy it on the battlefield.

In a sense, it was worth the trip.

Yuliyal, who had witnessed the previous scene from a distance, was completely stunned. Such a brutal and almost cruel battle was really too exciting for her, a newcomer.

However, Lucifer, who could sense the battlefield situation remotely through Yuliya, did not hesitate at all. His six steel wings simultaneously moved forward to form a bud shape about to bloom, further converging the light cannon while continuously increasing the power of the Heavenly Sin Fire.

Far from making the high-energy beam weaker, the reduction in diameter made it more threatening because of its increased force.

The Armor of Despair went from melting to evaporating, and Ivan's defensive mana consumption began to soar. Layer upon layer of his golden battle armor peeled off, and he was about to face the attack directly.

click!

The crisp sound was transmitted into Ivan's ears through bone conduction as his hands tightly grasped the Armor of Despair.

The continuous wrestling coupled with the ultra-high temperature beam attack finally broke both arms of the animated armor.

The next second, Ivan, his hands free, grabbed the man's head. Considering the high temperature and energy surrounding him, it felt like he was forcibly perming someone's hair.

Click, click, click, click!

Continuous cracking sounds were heard from the Despair Armor, but while it was being damaged, it began to repair itself at an equally fast speed, even slightly surpassing the former's destruction speed. If this continued, unexpected accidents were likely to occur.

Even though the situation was still unclear, Alvin did not do much. He just stared intently at the alternative individual in front of him that was possessed by the will of the evil god, as if he had realized something important.

Even if it is only a tiny wisp, it is ultimately a part of the most powerful existence in Palladia. It is no exaggeration to say that it contains the most profound secrets of the entire power system.

The power of the soul is far stronger than any other magical power because the former has a higher priority in interfering with the world. Investing one portion of the former can produce the effect of investing ten or even a hundred portions of the latter.

So, what is the divine power that can surpass miracles? What is the divine power that only the perfect can barely contend with?

After reaching the third level, Ivan realized that the experience and knowledge he had gained in virtual Palladia was becoming increasingly insufficient. After all, true soul-piercing enlightenment couldn't be achieved through immersion in the game, like connecting pipes. It required the dedicated experience, study, and practice of a true Palladian Transcendent.

Fortunately, he has some experience in this area. Although it seems unsuitable for study at the moment, it is only an appearance.

Ivan watched as the Armor of Despair cracked and cracked, then repaired itself at an unstoppable pace. The entire process repeated itself over and over again, a seemingly unspoken resemblance.

Whether it's the destructive Heavenly Sin Fire or the power of the evil god that allows the Despair Armor to continuously repair itself, in essence, both are interfering with objective reality. This is also the most essential manifestation of extraordinary powers such as spells, magic, and even soul power.

But what is the difference?

Looking at the Despair Armor that resisted stubbornly and was never completely burned, Alvin couldn't help but fall into deep thought. He temporarily ignored the high temperature and burning pain around him.

Time seemed to pass slowly yet quickly. Lucifer's unleashed Heavenly Sin Fire only lasted a few seconds. The cost of deploying this strategic-grade, ultra-heavy weapon was so immense that even a mature Seraph would struggle to sustain it for long.

But just before the beam of light released by the Heavenly Sin Fire was about to end completely, Ivan's whole body suddenly shook, and the aftermath of the strategic-level weapons surrounding him was immediately pushed away by an invisible force field.

I see……

Enveloped in the flames, the black-haired boy slowly raised his head.

Although his heart was as calm as an ancient well, a faint flame suddenly appeared in his golden eyes.

It was faint, but not to be ignored, as if an illusory concept that could not be felt suddenly turned into a concrete product.

From the time he was just learning to speak as a toddler to the time he grew up and entered college to study, he learned things quickly, and it has always been like this and it will always be like this.

But no matter how advanced and cutting-edge knowledge and information one has learned in the past, none of it can be as insightful as the enlightenment that is now reflected in one's heart.

The environmental magic drifting in the objective world, the various special magics surging in powerful life forms, the soul power that can only be awakened by intelligent individuals, the soul power fully awakened by the crowned, the perfect power mastered by the perfect ones, and even the most powerful absolute divine power that can even transcend the laws to create and transcend miracles.

All of this is inseparable from the same factor...will.

Just like the will in the Heavenly Sin Fire that can lead all things in the world to destruction, just like the will in the Armor of Despair that can regard all concepts as objects of struggle.

The source that determines the strength and priority of supernatural powers is the strength of the user's will to change the world!

Everything else is just auxiliary. Although it has an impact, it is difficult to get to the essence.

Now, Alvin has realized this. Although he looks the same as before, he can sense things that he could not know in the past.

He was surprised to find that the destructive will contained in the Heavenly Sin Fire was actually familiar to him.

Loosening the Armor of Despair, Ivan's instinct drove him to draw the celestial giant sword - Burning Justice from nothingness.

At this moment, the sword body, which was originally made of crystal, was gradually boiling under the strong flames released by the Heavenly Sin Fire.

The true boiling, like the violent undulations of boiling liquid. Ivan instinctively reached out, and like scooping up a nonexistent moon from the water, his five fingers easily sank into the boiling sword and touched something substantial.

Then, he took out a sword, a broken sword that was different from the 'Heavenly Greatsword - Burning Justice'.

Only one-third of the blade near the handle remained of the sword, clearly a dilapidated broken sword.

But at the moment when Alvin grasped the hilt of the broken sword, the light and heat released by the Heavenly Sin Fire disappeared, as if the powerful attack released by the strategic-level weapon just now was just a false illusion.

Like a movie with the pause button pressed, the silent universe becomes quieter than ever before at this moment.

A voice as gentle as a song yet with a strange sharpness entered Ivan's mind.

"They call me the Fire that Destroys the World."

"They call me the branch that brings disaster."

"They call me the Twilight Blade that burns everything to bring victory."

"Warrior, call out my name, and you shall know it."

"..."

The sound gradually died down, and the Despair Armor not far away became tattered.

But the laughter that came out of its cavity never disappeared. Instead, it became louder and more shrill, as if it saw something it liked.

Not paying any attention to this guy, Alvin lowered his head and stared at the broken sword in his hand.

"Ah, indeed, I know your name."

"A murderous weapon that destroys the world, a gas planet destroyer, a poisonous sword that ignites the atmosphere, a star ignition device, a deluminator, a monster..."

Names, some cruel, some strange, came out of his mouth one after another. They were fragments of information obtained from past memories and the resonance of will.