The black sphere, shattered into two halves, resembled the egg of a broken black moon.
Beneath the fractured shell, the suppressed magma slowly rose, as if a colossal entity was about to emerge.
The scales on the Nine-Headed Evil Dragon's body suddenly stood on end. Its vertical pupils were fixed on the mutating sea of magma. Its chaotic will, under the pressure of imminent danger, unified.
Yes, for the first time since the battle began, Theodore felt the chill of death.
Within the surging sea of magma, Chen Luo felt himself entering a peculiar state.
His spiritual power was depleted, his sea of consciousness was more than half shattered, and even the golden, radiant dragon eyes above his consciousness sea had dimmed to a dull glow.
And Chen Luo's physical body, capable of moving mountains and overturning seas, was now broken into countless fragments. The vast vital energy within his body had long since been exhausted.
By all appearances, Chen Luo was at the end of his rope, his lamp running dry.
Death seemed to be the very next moment away.
Yet, a sense of joy unbiddenly welled up in Chen Luo's heart.
He had grasped something.
It was his heart, his true heart, his will.
It was something that could elevate mortal will beyond the grasp of death!
In an instant, at the very apex of his shattered sea of consciousness, a place even the radiant dragon eyes could not illuminate,
The star river flickered!
The brilliance of will flashed in Chen Luo's damaged, single eye.
Illuminated by the endless star river, the sea of consciousness was instantly restored.
His nearly depleted mana, empowered by the system, surged forth in accordance with the principles of skills.
The mana churning within his sea of consciousness, guided by the principles of vital energy, was instantly converted into minuscule vital energy.
Based on his previous combat experience, this sliver of vital energy would likely be eroded by the dark power in an instant.
But this tiny bit of vital energy suddenly froze in mid-air.
Chen Luo's eyes calmly gazed at this wisp of vital energy, his dark pupils reflecting the colors of the stars!
[Detected fusion of will and energy! Congratulations to the player for comprehending the Abyss-tier exclusive skill "True Manifestation!"]
Hum!
The colors of the stars not only flickered in Chen Luo's eyes but also radiated brilliance within his blood.
Under Chen Luo's gaze, this single drop of condensed vital energy was no longer mere energy.
It was an extension of his own will!
Boom!
It was as if thunderclap erupted in his mind!
"So... this is True Manifestation!!"
The next moment,
This drop of vital energy before Chen Luo's eyes continued to spread, countless fine crimson threads, shrouded by darkness, seemed to ignite with a scarlet glow.
The magical energy in his mind, as soon as it was restored, was continuously converted.
As new vital energy was converted, the crimson threads grew more numerous and denser.
Within the radiance that even darkness could not conceal,
Muscles, bones, skin, hair...
Everything about Chen Luo was remade by the vital energy.
When everything was condensed, a naked youth was enveloped by the sea of magma and the pitch-black sphere, his eyes closed as if in slumber.
The next moment, the system's voice boomed in his ears, causing the youth to open his star-ink-like eyes.
[Detected player meets the conditions for talent bestowal!]
[According to underlying rules! Bestowing race foundation-tier talent...]
[New talent will derive corresponding true names based on compatibility with the player...]
[Congratulations to the player for obtaining the race foundation-tier talent: Overlord!]
[Overlord]
[Type]: Talent
[Level]: Race Foundation-tier
[Effect]:
1. Undying Battle Soul: Will Unbroken! Endless Combat! As long as the fighting spirit within the heart does not extinguish, the soul shall never enter the underworld!
2. Overlord's Body: Hatred for the heavens for lacking a grip! Hatred for the earth for lacking a ring! As battle intent surges, physical strength is maximally enhanced!
[Description]: Born for battle! Dies for battle!
....
"Overlord? A race talent seed derived from the collective will of humanity, which, after merging with my will, has given birth to a new talent?"
The moment the system prompt flashed, a torrent of information flowed into Chen Luo's mind, allowing him to understand all the changes that had occurred.
He clenched his palm, feeling the surging, unquenchable battle intent in his heart, and Chen Luo's hand suddenly slashed upwards towards the black sphere!
Hum!
A scarlet divine sword fiercely cleaved the black sphere of deathly resentment!
In the aftermath of the power, Chen Luo's ultimate battle intent was condensed.
The energy of the black sphere, at this moment, seemed to melt like ice and snow in the scarlet energy imbued with battle intent.
The black sphere, split in two like a broken black moon's egg, beneath it, the rising magma pulsed with a terrifying aura that was constantly escalating.
Ever since Theodore's True Manifestation, the song of deathly resentment that had permeated the underground seemed to sense something and inexplicably lowered its pitch.
A sense of crisis flashed in Theodore's mind. Such a premonition of death, Theodore had not experienced for ten thousand years!
In the face of this mortal danger, the frenzied will was once again unified, and the calm primary head regained control of the body.
The heads of the nine evil dragons all turned to fix their gaze upon the rising magma beneath the black moon's egg.
"Roar!!!!"
No longer the pretense of civilization, in this most composed state, Theodore let out the most savage roar!
Accompanied by the beast-like roar, nine slightly smaller pitch-black spheres were instantly condensed.
"Perish!!!"
Boom!
The nine pitch-black spheres, carrying an aura of universal destruction, charged towards the surging sea of magma!
Theodore's spirit fiercely controlled the nine black energy spheres!
At the moment of impact, it intended to utterly annihilate the entire underground world!!
But!
The rising magma instantly exploded!
Amidst the scattered fiery rain and magma, the youth, glowing with scarlet light all over his body, calmly looked at the frenzied Theodore:
"Power that is not pure! Complex and disordered!"
"Theodore! Watch closely!"
"This is the true True Manifestation!"
Time seemed to freeze!
A vast sea of vital energy surged from Chen Luo's body, and Chen Luo was instantly submerged by an endless screen of vital energy...
The flowing sea of vital energy instantly transformed into a closed, blood-red curtain!
Crimson brilliance continuously flickered on the curtain. Unlike the black curtain filled with chaos and curses, seemingly filled with the wails of countless souls.
Anyone who saw this crimson curtain could only feel an unparalleled, pure battle intent that dared to fight against the heavens and the earth!
Hum!
The crimson curtain slowly drew open, as if a battle march of clashing armor and horses resounded through the scorching underground world.
Boom!
From within the crimson curtain, a colossal arm, thousands of meters in size, erupted forth. Upon the arm, a scarlet, flowing fire long saber swiftly slashed!
The roar of the Nine-Headed Evil Dragon was instantly cut off at its waist!
Time began to flow again.
The condensed degree of the scarlet energy, where battle intent and energy merged, was far superior to the black energy composed of countless curses.
The nine shattered black energy spheres, in their fragmentation, rapidly dissolved like ice and snow.
The Nine-Headed Evil Dragon no longer cared about its attack being blocked; it stared in horror at the majestic and awe-inspiring figure before it:
"How is this possible?!!!"
A giant, ten thousand meters tall, floated silently in the grand underground space. The giant bore an identical face to Chen Luo's, but naturally exuded an immortal and sacred aura.
The giant was cast entirely in vermilion gold, clad in majestic golden armor that covered its entire body.
It wielded a sharp long saber burning with flowing fire, and two wheels of red and blue light spun quietly behind it.
The power of vital energy and mana perfectly and harmoniously merged within it.
As the light wheels rotated, immeasurable power surged outwards like tidal waves!
"True Manifestation! Combat!"
Boom!
Behind the golden armor, two banners soared into the sky,
On them were inscribed the archaic characters for "Dou" (Fight) and "Zhan" (Combat)!