The courtyard was a storm of black mist and blinding holy fire.
The Shadow Warlord was destroyed and reformed three separate times. Arthur lost an arm, regenerated it, and continued swinging his Azure Blade like a madman. The relentless, immortal assault was slowly but surely straining Azrael's Absolute Barrier. Thin, hairline fractures began to form in the holy light.
"Insolent insects!" Azrael roared. The Seraph raised its flaming spear high above its head, gathering a terrifying amount of energy. A miniature, blinding sun formed at the tip.
[Warning! Target is casting 'Judgment of the Heavens'!]
[If this attack lands, the entire city block will be vaporized!]
"Now," Kael whispered.
He didn't run. He filled his lungs to maximum capacity and activated the skill he had devoured from the Goblin boss.
Warlord's Roar!
A shockwave of concentrated, paralyzing terror erupted from Kael's mouth. Normally, a C-Rank skill wouldn't even tickle a Level 35 World Boss. But Kael was the Sovereign of Glitches. His System Interference caused the skill to bypass Azrael's natural resistances for exactly 0.5 seconds.
It was enough.
Azrael flinched. The miniature sun at the tip of the spear flickered and stalled.
At that exact moment, the Shadow Warlord brought its massive guillotine blade down with devastating force, striking the exact center of the fractured barrier.
CRACK!
The Absolute Barrier shattered like glass.
Kael didn't miss his window. He used Shadow Step, teleporting directly in front of the staggered Seraph. They were face-to-face. Kael could feel the heat of the angel's flaming spear singeing his clothes, but he didn't care.
His eyes glowed a furious, blinding gold as he drove his bare left hand straight into the center of Azrael's chest.
His fingers wrapped around the pulsing, crimson core.
"DEVOUR!" Kael roared, his voice echoing over the burning city.
A vortex of pure black energy exploded from Kael's hand, directly injecting into the Seraph's core. Azrael shrieked—a sound of pure, agonizing static that shattered every remaining window within a mile radius.
The angel thrashed, stabbing Kael through the shoulder with the flaming spear.
[HP: 15/250! Critical Warning!]
Kael ignored the searing pain. He gripped the core tighter, pumping every ounce of his mana into his Mythic skill. The black energy rapidly corrupted the holy core, turning it pitch black.
With a sickening crunch, Kael ripped his hand back, pulling the corrupted, black core completely out of the Seraph's chest.
Azrael froze. The six glass wings shattered, and the flaming spear extinguished. The Level 35 World Boss fell from the sky, crashing onto the pavement as a lifeless husk.
[Ding! IMPOSSIBLE ACHIEVEMENT!]
[You have slain a World Boss 25 levels above you!]
[Calculating Experience... Error. Overload detected.]
[Level Up!] x15
Kael collapsed onto his back, panting heavily, blood pouring from his shoulder. He watched in a daze as the System prompts flooded his vision.
[Level: 25]
[Item Dropped: Wings of the Eclipse (Mythic-Grade Equipment)]
[Title Acquired: God Slayer]
He had done it. He had broken the Architect's trap. But as he lay there bleeding, the crimson sky above suddenly tore open, revealing a massive, glowing golden eye staring directly down at him.
The System wasn't done with him yet.