On the battlefield of gods, Alatus had long since lost his mind, driven mad by the death of his kin and his eldest brother. His body moved on instinct, still fighting the god. Gripping the polearm formed from Hepuyuan's dying wish, he clashed with the god, holding his own.
But suddenly, the god, drenched in blood and locked in combat with Alatus, sensed an ominous threat. It was overwhelming, as if death itself would be upon him in the next instant. The god looked at his opponent, but clearly, the threat did not come from the mad yaksha.
The insane yaksha, however, paid no heed to any sudden danger. Driven by his wish and his instincts, he had only one goal: to kill the god. He charged relentlessly.
The next moment, Alatus lunged at the god, thrusting his green polearm at the deity's body. But in his maddened state, though his physical and elemental powers had increased, he fought like a brute. No strategy. No technique. He simply charged headlong, attacking with raw force.
The god swung a heavy fist. With a crash, it collided with the yaksha, sending him flying hundreds of meters. But the impact also left the god's own hand bloodied and mangled.
Just as the god was relieved to have pushed back the mad yaksha once more—just as he thought he might finally wear down the frenzied creature—the strange threat intensified. It was as if death loomed ever closer, filling the god with deep dread.
"Who is it? Who's there?"
Overcome by fear, the god frantically looked around but saw nothing that could harm him. Then, as if sensing something, he raised his massive head and looked up at the sky.
In the clear sky above, the god's pupils contracted sharply. A golden star flickered brightly. It was that golden light that instinctively filled him with dread.
The moment he saw it, the god felt the terrifying power within that star. He also sensed it descending rapidly. It would soon reach the ground. And its target was him.
His first thought was to dodge—to evade the falling golden star. But as soon as he tried, he realized with horror that no matter how far he retreated—a hundred meters, a thousand—the star's target remained fixed on him. There was no escape.
He couldn't even see his enemy. He didn't even know who the enemy was. The god resolved to use all his strength to withstand that star.
But seconds later, when the star descended into his field of vision, he saw with shock that it was not a star at all. It was a colossal meteor, carrying the unfathomable power of Geo, descending through the void from beyond the sky.
Seeing this, the god's eyes widened in disbelief.
"It's him—the one targeted by countless gods... has he finally come here? No! I don't believe it!"
The god finally understood. It was the mighty Morax attacking him.
The next moment, under the god's disbelieving gaze, the enormous meteor fell upon his head. It touched his fist, then his body, petrifying everything it touched.
With a single blow, the terrifying, massive god was turned into a stone statue.
Only then did Morax, the user of Wake of Earth, arrive unhurriedly with his adepti and yakshas.
When Morax and the adepti appeared, Alatus, still in his mad state, still clutching the green Hepuyuan polearm, did not forget his wish. He continued to attack the god, fiercely stabbing the petrified statue.
With a crash, as the polearm struck the stone effigy, a burst of immense elemental power erupted, followed by a thunderous rumble. Before Morax, before the assembled adepti, before the other yakshas, the fearsome stone statue of the god shattered.
The god was dead. Petrified by Morax, then destroyed by Alatus using Hepuyuan's polearm.
In that moment, Hepuyuan, who had died and whose body had become the polearm, fulfilled his wish. Alatus also fulfilled his.
At the same time, the yaksha seemed to lose all strength, all spirit. He stood amidst the rubble of the shattered statue, motionless. The green polearm in his hand gradually lost its luster, becoming dull and ordinary.
Seeing this, the onlookers were overcome with sorrow. They knew that if no one intervened, this yaksha who had taken his revenge would die just like that.
But watching him die before their eyes pained them. Such a yaksha was exactly the kind of companion they needed.
Just then, a yaksha with four arms, his body emanating an Electro glow, stepped forward resolutely. He begged Morax, "Rex Lapis, please save this yaksha."
Not only the four-armed yaksha, but the other yakshas and adepti also pleaded, "Rex Lapis, we need a companion like him. Please save him."
In truth, though Morax's expression remained calm, his heart had been moved by Alatus. Even without their pleas, he would have helped the young yaksha.
The next moment, under the hopeful gazes of the yakshas and adepti, Morax walked slowly to stand before Alatus. He raised a hand, gathered a great amount of Geo energy, and gently touched it to the youth's forehead.
The moment his finger made contact, elemental energy erupted.