If Hellboy—the vessel of Hell's laws—exploded, it would signify the destruction of Hell itself. The energy released from a world tearing itself apart would be enough to end the battle permanently. Baal felt like he was being played by his brothers again, but this time, he went along with it willingly.
This was just a projection of his consciousness. What could Bul-Kathos do? As long as Bul-Kathos needed his Aspect, he couldn't go too far. And Barbarians didn't take out their mistakes on others.
"Baal!"
Kalgax's roar finally echoed across the field. His journey here had pushed his fury to the brink. He leapt into the air, his battle-standard furled and pointed downward like a harpoon, aiming straight for Baal's head.
"Danger!"
"Hyaaah!"
Olongus's warning and Barnal's war cry rang out simultaneously. A massive boulder smashed into the Hellboy in Baal's hand. Olongus had no choice; he had to target the source of the ominous energy. Hellboy's consciousness had already been shattered; he was now a living bomb.
The Ancestors sensed the impending doom and unleashed their full power in a single instant.
"Another innocent!" Barnal screamed, his final coherent words before his sanity slipped.
His body began to swell. He gripped two twisted, jagged blades that looked entirely unsuited for slashing. His skin turned a deep, angry crimson as he lost himself to the rage. Unlike other Barbarians in the throes of Wrath of the Berserker, who grew tall with white hair, Barnal's transformation was different. He looked like a massive, blood-red rat, his body leaning forward haphazardly as he blurred across the ground.
"Abah-abah! Argh! Hah!"
Incoherent screams tore from Barnal's throat as he slammed into Baal, twin blades flashing. If Liz Sherman could still be saved because she had a human soul, Hellboy was already gone. As the vessel of Hell, the moment his internal laws collapsed, he was effectively dead. His soul was merging with the world, and he would end when it did.
Schlick!
Kalgax's standard pierced Baal's shoulder, pinning the Demon Lord to the ground. Kalgax looked almost surprised; he hadn't expected it to be this easy to immobilize him. As confident as he was in his own strength, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could end Baal so simply.
"Roar!"
Olongus leapt high and slammed down beside Baal. The ground shattered, and plumes of magma erupted from the fissures. Baal's body was heavily damaged by the legendary equipment, but his ruined face, jaw hanging by a thread, wore a twisted grin.
"Barbarians... you are already dead. How will you survive the explosion of an entire world?" Baal ignored the surging Olongus and looked up at Kalgax, who was still perched on his shoulder.
"You're the one who's dead!" Kalgax roared, his eyes bloodshot as he stared Baal down.
Barnal was a whirlwind of steel, hacking at Baal's body like he was mincing meat, the sound of his blades echoing like a drum. Olongus hit the ground and immediately took to the air again; he needed one more Leap Attack to build the fury required for his most powerful strike.
But Baal wasn't going to give him the chance.
He swung Hellboy like a club, slamming the half-demon into Olongus and pinning him to the ground like a crushed toad. The power of Destruction began to ripple outward. The Ancestors' bodies were battered, their flesh tearing under the pressure. Unlike Anndagur-Kalgas or Mocott, they hadn't come prepared with damage-reduction gear. Against an all-encompassing attack like this, injury was inevitable.
"Heh... heh..."
Barnal began to wheeze, his breath coming in sharp, whistling gasps like an asthmatic. His skin was completely coated in his own seeping blood. Guided by pure instinct, his body began to spin.
"Whirlwind? If Bul-Kathos used it, I'd be a dead man. But you? You're not there yet!"
Baal kicked out with a mangled leg. But Barnal didn't budge. Instead, Baal's already wounded leg was severed, falling to the dirt.
Barnal the Berserker—he was the sharpest weapon in this team's arsenal.
"Heh... HAH!"
A mangled laugh escaped Barnal. A massive spray of blood erupted from his pores.
"DIE!"
The word was crystal clear—the only intelligible word the Ancestors would ever hear from Barnal in the heat of battle.
BOOM!
Barnal's twin blades flew from his hands as his body completely disintegrated into a mist of blood.
Barnal the Berserker was out of the game.
"ROAR!"
Kalgax let out a guttural scream, violently wrenching his battle-standard out of Baal's shoulder. The rough wood was slick with the Demon Lord's greasy blood. The standard tore a massive, gaping hole in Baal's torso as it came free.
No one had time to mourn Barnal's exit. If they didn't finish Baal now, the real trouble was only beginning.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"