"Oh!" Muria nodded with an air of calm. "Alright then, call your father here now. If he shows up, I won't have to bother doing anything to you."
"Aren't you afraid? You've wielded true artifacts yourself; surely you understand how powerful a true god is!" Bound and pinned on the desolate island, the demigod Giovanni turned his proud golden eagle head to glare at Muria. For the first time, unease flickered in his eyes.
"You fool, have you not figured it out yet?" Muria chuckled, then reached out with a massive claw, pressing Giovanni's eagle-shaped head firmly into the rock beneath them.
"You!" Giovanni roared in outrage, fury and humiliation warring within him. "How dare you treat a god's son like this!"
"And what of it? I've slain countless fools like you in my youth," Muria said softly. "Enough chatter. I didn't bring you here to waste my time discussing such nonsense. Let's move on."
"What are you planning to do?" Giovanni demanded, his voice trembling as he eyed the dragon, who was studying him like prey. The giant standing nearby, far weaker by comparison, watched him with a gaze full of... anticipation.
"You think this form is too weak, don't you? Don't worry—I'll use your divine blood to strengthen it," Muria said casually.
"No! You can't do that!" Giovanni's voice rose in panic, his mind racing as he pieced together the truth. He recalled every moment of his encounter with Muria, and a terrifying thought took root—a thought too plausible to dismiss.
"Your Excellency, I beg your forgiveness! I had no intention of offending you—"
"Too late to regret it now," Muria interrupted, grinning as his claws tapped lightly on the Starforge Chains.
Ancient divine runes shimmered to life along the chains, glowing with a primordial power before igniting in a cosmic blaze. Flames capable of scorching even a true god's essence erupted, enveloping Giovanni entirely.
A bloodcurdling scream tore through the island as the demigod writhed in agony. For a being like Giovanni, these flames did not merely harm; they stripped away his divine essence, leaving him helpless.
Jiuli stood on the sidelines, transfixed by the sight before him. The once-majestic demigod, nearly 300 meters tall, lay restrained by chains glowing like the stars, writhing in a fire that seemed both ethereal and merciless.
Golden strands of radiant light—the divine blood and essence—streamed from Giovanni's body, spilling into the air like a celestial waterfall. The scene filled Jiuli with an almost primal yearning; his body trembled with the instinctive urge to claim that power and ascend to new heights.
"Don't even think about it," came Muria's voice, tinged with amusement. Jiuli turned to see his teacher looking at him, his black-scaled dragon form resplendent with glowing runes.
"This is divine blood. At your current level, it would tear you apart."
Jiuli nodded, swallowing his greed. He then watched as his teacher ascended into the air, positioning himself above the torrent of golden light.
Muria opened his maw, inhaling the divine blood as it flowed into him. Almost immediately, changes began to manifest. His already impressive dragon form grew larger and more robust, radiant streaks of gold surging through his black scales.
As the dragon consumed more of the divine essence, his body began to glow from within. Gold light burst forth from the seams between his scales, brightening with each passing moment.
Eventually, the divine blood streaming from Giovanni's body formed a luminous golden waterfall that flowed directly into Muria. Yet even the dragon struggled to absorb it all in time. Slowly, the accumulated divine blood began to crystallize around him, encasing his body in a shimmering golden cocoon.
In stark contrast, Giovanni's once-proud form deteriorated rapidly. The radiant glow of his body dimmed, his feathers—once gleaming like molten gold—turned dull and gray. His near-perfect physique withered as his divine essence was stripped away.
Yet, despite his agony, Giovanni no longer screamed or cursed. Instead, he groveled, his voice trembling with desperation. "Your Excellency, I truly did not mean to offend you. Please, show mercy and spare me!"
Neither Jiuli nor Muria paid his pleas any mind. The young giant watched in silent awe as his teacher focused intently on the process of refining and absorbing Giovanni's divine essence.
Muria's goal was clear: to strengthen his reincarnated dragon body. While his true self could act freely, doing so too often would risk drawing the ire of the world's immune response. Enhancing his reincarnation allowed him to act without restrictions.
Using the divine blood of a demigod, Muria compressed centuries' worth of potential growth into a matter of hours. This miraculous transformation was witnessed by only two beings: the sacrificial demigod and a novice like Jiuli.
Roar!
A deafening dragon's cry pierced the heavens as Muria burst free from his golden cocoon. His now-massive golden dragon form—nearly 100 meters long—ascended into the sky, radiating majesty and power.
The roar dispersed the clouds, leaving the sky brilliantly clear. All creatures within miles instinctively prostrated themselves, trembling as they offered reverence to the apex predator above.
"Teacher!" Jiuli called out reverently as the dragon descended gracefully onto the island. He bowed deeply, his respect and awe evident in every movement.
By now, even Jiuli's dullest instincts recognized the magnitude of the being he had stumbled upon. The one who had taken him as a student was far beyond anything he could have imagined.
"Your Excellency, congratulations on restoring part of your power!" Giovanni's feeble voice interrupted. What remained of the demigod's withered body lay crumpled on the ground, and his tone was pitifully servile. "You have drained my essence entirely. Could you grant me mercy and spare my life?"
Muria's golden eyes glinted with derision. "Spare you? And leave your divine nature and soul intact? Can you compensate for what you've lost me?"
"I-I can! Whatever you desire, I'll provide it!" Giovanni babbled, his fear palpable.
"Too much trouble." Muria's lips curled into a cruel smile. "I'll just take what I need directly."
He extended a claw, gripping one end of the Starforge Chains. With a sharp tug, Giovanni's desiccated body fell limply to the ground, while his glowing soul was torn free, still bound by the chains.
Golden lightning erupted from Muria's claws, coursing along the chains until it reached the soul. Giovanni's anguished screams filled the air as his essence was obliterated.
Far away, in a distant realm, a divine imprint shattered.
Screech!
An enraged cry echoed across dimensions, carrying with it the oppressive power of a true god. Reality split apart as divine energy surged through the breach. Thunder crackled, illuminating the rift with blinding light.
The previously serene sea around the island turned violent. Waves crashed and winds howled as the god's wrath rippled outward, shaking the entire region.
Countless beings perished in the wake of this divine might, unable to withstand its force. Yet the golden dragon standing amidst the chaos remained utterly unmoved.
Chapter 1204: The Death of a Demigod and the Wrath of a True God
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