Chapter 56
BOOOOOOM.
The cavern shook violently.
Cracks spread across the obsidian floor as black lightning exploded through the battlefield once again.
Justice worshippers stumbled backward from the shockwaves.
Several ritualists nearly lost control of the sealing formation entirely.
At the center of the destruction—
John walked forward slowly.
Calm.
But something about him had changed now.
The air around him felt heavier.
More violent.
Black lightning crawled endlessly across his arms—
while a faint red aura slowly bled into the darkness around his body.
Like heat rising from burning blood.
Opposite him—
the commander steadied himself against shattered volcanic stone.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
Several holy barriers surrounding him had already cracked.
Commander: "…What are you?"
John didn't answer.
His eyes remained cold.
But for the first time—
anger was visible beneath them.
Not reckless rage.
Something deeper.
Controlled hatred.
BOOM.
John disappeared instantly.
The obsidian floor shattered beneath where he had been standing.
The commander's eyes narrowed immediately.
Too fast.
CRACK.
Black lightning exploded across the cavern as John appeared directly in front of him.
His fist slammed downward violently.
The commander barely raised a holy barrier in time.
BOOOOOOM.
The impact bent the barrier inward violently.
The commander was thrown backward across the cavern floor.
His boots carved through stone before he stopped himself.
Several justice worshippers stared in shock.
Justice Worshipper: "…He's overpowering divine protection…"
Another step.
John vanished again.
Faster this time.
The red aura around him intensified slightly.
Unstable.
The commander suddenly turned—
SLASH.
Black lightning tore past his face.
A deep cut opened across his cheek.
The commander immediately jumped backward.
Breathing harder now.
John slowly lowered his arm.
Black sparks crackled around his fingertips.
John: "…Too slow."
The commander gritted his teeth.
Then—
slowly—
his holy energy changed.
The golden barriers surrounding him began twisting inward unnaturally.
Compressing.
Condensing.
The surrounding justice worshippers immediately stepped back after seeing it.
One of them whispered quietly.
Justice Worshipper: "…Divine Devour…"
The commander raised one hand slowly.
Golden light gathered around his palm—
but this time it didn't form a shield.
It formed a rotating sphere.
Dense.
Hungry.
The commander's expression hardened.
Commander: "If your power refuses to break…"
The sphere twisted harder.
Commander: "…then I'll consume it instead."
John moved instantly.
Black lightning erupted toward the commander like a violent storm.
But the moment it touched the golden sphere—
the lightning twisted violently.
Distorted.
Then vanished.
Consumed.
Several justice worshippers widened their eyes immediately.
Justice Worshipper: "…It devoured the lightning…"
Even John paused briefly.
The commander slowly exhaled.
Golden light spread wider around his arm now.
Commander: "Divine Devour."
A pause.
Commander: "Holy magic capable of consuming hostile power itself."
The air trembled slightly afterward.
Commander: "Your lightning…"
Another pause.
Commander: "…cannot overpower divine judgment."
Silence.
Then—
John smiled faintly.
Cold.
Dangerous.
John: "…Is that so?"
CRACK.
Black lightning exploded harder around the cavern.
This time—
fire erupted alongside it.
Dark crimson flames spiraled violently around John's arm.
The volcanic heat instantly intensified.
Several nearby justice worshippers stepped backward.
The commander's eyes narrowed slightly.
Commander: "…Two attributes."
John said nothing.
BOOOOOOM.
He attacked again.
Faster.
More violent.
The commander immediately raised Divine Devour.
Golden light swallowed the incoming lightning instantly—
then consumed the flames as well.
But—
John was already behind him.
CRACK.
A brutal kick slammed directly into the commander's ribs.
The holy barriers shattered instantly.
The commander coughed blood violently before crashing through volcanic stone.
The cavern trembled harder.
Because Divine Devour could consume magic—
but not physical force.
John walked slowly through the smoke.
The red aura around him flickered harder now.
Like something inside him was beginning to awaken alongside his anger.
The commander slowly pushed himself upright.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
His expression darkened.
Commander: "…You…"
Another breath.
Commander: "…You're not just some worshipper."
John's voice echoed quietly through the cavern.
John: "…Really?"
Another step.
Black lightning cracked violently across the floor beneath him.
John: "…Then tell me."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
John: "…What do you think I am?"
Silence.
The red aura pulsed harder around him.
John: "…Though I guess it doesn't matter anymore."
Another step.
The cavern trembled softly beneath his presence.
John: "…You're all going to die here anyway."
The commander's expression hardened immediately.
Then—
BOOOOOOM.
Golden holy energy erupted violently from his body.
A massive golden aura exploded outward across the cavern.
The pressure alone forced nearby justice worshippers backward.
The holy symbols across the floor began glowing brighter in response.
The commander slowly rose from the rubble.
Blood ran down the side of his face—
but his eyes remained steady.
Focused.
Not afraid.
Only tense now.
Serious.
Golden energy flowed around him like burning sunlight.
Commander: "…You really are dangerous."
The aura around him intensified harder.
Layer after layer of holy protection formed around his body automatically now.
Commander: "But don't mistake pressure for victory."
The cavern trembled again.
John watched him silently.
The commander raised his hand slowly.
Dozens of golden formations appeared across the cavern walls simultaneously.
Commander: "DIVINE DEVOUR."
The formations activated instantly.
Golden chains of light shot toward John from every direction.
The moment black lightning touched them—
it vanished.
Consumed completely.
Even the crimson flames disappeared upon contact.
For the first time—
John stopped moving.
The commander slowly stepped forward.
Golden aura flowing violently around him now.
Commander: "Your power is unstable."
Another step.
Commander: "Violent."
The chains of holy light tightened around the battlefield.
Commander: "…And completely consumed by emotion."
The sealing formation beneath the floor expanded wider.
Closer.
Closer.
Almost complete.
But then—
the red aura around John suddenly deepened.
Darker.
Heavier.
The volcanic heat distorted violently around him.
The black lightning surrounding his body became unstable.
Wild.
Several justice worshippers instinctively stepped backward.
Not from fear—
but from the pressure alone.
Even the commander's expression tightened slightly.
Because he could feel it now.
Something inside John was rising.
John slowly raised his head.
And for the first time—
his eyes no longer looked calm.
They looked furious.
John: "…You people…"
Black lightning exploded across the cavern walls.
The red aura burst outward violently alongside it.
John: "…keep calling this salvation."
Another step.
The ground beneath him cracked instantly.
John: "…Then tell me something."
His voice echoed louder now.
Personal.
Heavy.
John: "…If the gods wanted to save humanity…"
The red aura flickered violently.
John: "…why did they have to sacrifice everything for it?"
Silence.
Even the ritualists stopped chanting briefly.
The commander narrowed his eyes carefully.
Golden aura burning harder around him now.
Commander: "…I see."
A pause.
Commander: "…You're not a worshipper."
His gaze sharpened.
Commander: "…You're one of the souls the goddess saved."
That question changed the atmosphere instantly.
John stopped walking.
For the first time—
silence surrounded him completely.
The red aura flickered harder.
Violent.
Unstable.
Then—
very slowly—
John smiled.
But there was no warmth in it.
Only exhaustion.
Hatred.
John: "…Does it matter?"
A pause.
His eyes darkened slightly.
John: "…No."
Black lightning cracked violently around him.
John: "…Right now, you should be more worried about your own soul than mine."
And suddenly—
the cavern beneath Dumase trembled hard enough to shake the entire island.
…CHAPTER 56 ENDS…