"Well, isn't this interesting!" Muria, who had just struck down the Bellwind King with a single sword slash, watched with a smile as his opponent began to transform after crashing into the earth below.
The Bellwind King, who had taken on the form of the colossal wind beast, was nearly cleaved in two by Muria's strike. The gaping wound spewed a wave of translucent blood before being cauterized by the extreme heat of the attack.
Though grievously wounded and on the brink of death, the Bellwind King did not perish. Instead, his mangled body fused directly into the ground.
Moments later, as Muria observed, the nearly extinguished life force of the Bellwind King suddenly surged back to full strength. It was as though he had been completely resurrected, his vitality restored in an instant.
"Arnold, don't think you've won. The battle has only just begun," came a deep voice from beneath the ground.
Muria's eyes narrowed as he watched the area where the Bellwind King had fallen. The earth rippled outward like water, with concentric waves emanating from the center of the impact.
Then, a massive hand, formed entirely of rock, emerged from the epicenter of the ripples. It slammed into the ground with a force that made the entire battlefield tremble, momentarily silencing the chaos of war.
But this was only the beginning. The ground shook again as a second giant hand emerged and also slammed down.
Between these two hands, a massive rock head began to rise. Its stony visage tilted upward, locking its gaze on Muria, who hovered above the battlefield, encircled by golden-red chains that emitted searing heat.
"You warn me against seeking the power of the demon gods, yet here you are wielding a different form of power," Muria said, crossing his arms as he slowly descended from the sky. The chains around him swirled like fiery serpents, radiating a heat so intense that it would incinerate any ordinary being.
"What's this? Don't tell me this power of yours was something you were born with," Muria added, his tone laced with irony.
"No one can resist the allure of great power," the now-transformed Bellwind King replied. "Once, I too sought the power of the Seven Calamity Demon Gods. It's nothing strange. But unlike you, I stopped myself in time because I feared being consumed by my own greed."
The giant, which now towered over 100 meters tall, stared down at Muria. Around its massive body, other stone giants—smaller but similarly constructed—slowly rose from the ground. Some joined the ongoing battles below, while others stood by their creator, glaring at Muria.
"So, are you trying to boast about your self-control?" Muria asked, examining the massive stone giant. He watched as it meticulously adjusted its rocky form, crafting a sturdy set of armor from the earth. "Or are you mocking my greed?"
"This is advice from someone who has walked this path before. Do not covet the power of the demon gods. If you do, you will ultimately be consumed."
Though Muria and the Bellwind King were enemies—mortal foes, even—the king's words carried genuine sincerity. It was a heartfelt warning.
The Bellwind King understood all too well the dangers of power. His own strength came entirely from a legendary demon god that no one had ever seen. The stronger he became, the more terrified he was of the price he might one day pay.
"You don't need to concern yourself with that," Muria replied dismissively.
"I can sense it within you," the Bellwind King continued. "Apart from the flame power you wield, there is another force inside you.
Greedy Yanmo King, you have already collected two of the Seven Calamity Demon Gods' powers. If you consume my power as well, you'll possess four. At that point, the demon gods' wills are highly likely to awaken within you."
"Thanks for the warning," Muria said, his tone calm. "I'll keep it in mind."
"If you consume my power, you won't live long enough to enjoy it. You'll soon join me in oblivion."
"Is that all you've got to say?" Muria's expression turned to mild boredom. "If you're finished, then let's get started."
With that, Muria extended a hand toward the massive stone giant before him, his fingers curling as though to seize it.
"You're courting death, Arnold!" the giant roared in fury, raising its enormous fist to strike.
"I am now the child of the earth, the incarnation of its will! As long as I stand upon the ground, I possess boundless power and unparalleled strength. You cannot defeat me!"
"Ah, the more you talk, the more tempting this gets," Muria quipped with a grin. He raised his hand to catch the giant's fist—a hand twice the size of his own. Flames erupted upon impact, clinging to the rocky surface as molten drops began to fall.
Muria watched with a spark of admiration. The Bellwind King's abilities intrigued him. This was a rare and powerful talent, one tied directly to the unique characteristics of the Seven Calamity Demon Gods' power.
The Bellwind King's multi-faceted abilities, derived from an ancient epic being who had long since fallen, had both strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, his diverse powers allowed him to adapt to various situations. On the other, he lacked the specialization of those who mastered a singular power.
What truly caught Muria's attention, however, was the cheat-like nature of this talent. Each of the Bellwind King's elemental forms essentially granted him an extra life. When severely injured or on the verge of death, he could switch to a different form and emerge completely healed.
This ability was outright unfair. In battles of evenly matched opponents, this kind of talent was a game-changer. To fight someone to the brink of death, only to have them suddenly switch forms and return to full strength, would shatter anyone's morale.
For epics, such a talent was even more absurd. Epics rarely suffered damage due to their unparalleled durability, but when they did, recovery was slow and arduous. Yet this ability allowed the Bellwind King to bypass those limitations entirely.
"You can't kill me," the Bellwind King declared coldly, noting Muria's undisguised fascination with his power.
Raising another massive hand, the Bellwind King swung it toward Muria while the first hand, already shattered by Muria, rapidly regenerated.
"As I said, I now wield the power of the earth itself. My strength is endless, drawn from the land beneath me. You can't win."
"There's no such thing as an unkillable opponent," Muria replied. "The only reason someone seems invincible is because the attacks they've faced aren't strong enough."
Unfazed by the Bellwind King's boasting, Muria's smile grew wider. The power the Bellwind King wielded, though formidable, was not inherently his—it had been stolen from another. If the Bellwind King could seize it, so could Muria.
Boom!Boom!
The two titans clashed repeatedly, their blows reshaping the surrounding terrain. Hills rose, craters formed, and the ground itself was torn apart and reassembled by the sheer force of their battle.
The smaller rock giants spawned by the Bellwind King attempted to intervene but were quickly cut down by Muria's forces. On this battlefield, even the severed heads of rock giants counted as military merit, ensuring that none of them lasted long.
Despite the Bellwind King's attempts to hold his ground, the situation was hopeless. Encircled by Muria's army, he had no chance of escape. If not for Muria's deliberate restraint, the Bellwind King would have been reduced to rubble long ago.
"Your weakness is obvious," Muria said, halting his assault. He stood over the battered and incomplete form of the Bellwind King, who was struggling to regenerate. "While your power is nearly infinite, your capacity to wield it is limited."
Having tested the nature of the Bellwind King's abilities, Muria now understood their mechanics thoroughly. This power would soon be his, and he wanted to ensure he knew its capabilities before taking it for himself.
"Enough games. Let's end this."
With a single, devastating punch, Muria shattered the Bellwind King's colossal form. Reaching into the rubble, he grabbed hold of a glowing stone heart, which pulsed with immense power.
Black and crimson energy surged from Muria's body, coiling around the heart like serpents. He began to greedily extract the power within.
"No! Greedy King of the Celestial Empire, I curse you! The demon gods will consume you! You will gain nothing, and everything you have will be taken from you!"
The Bellwind King's voice, filled with despair and venom, echoed across the battlefield as his power was drained away.
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