Sensing the surge in Chen Pingchuan's strength, the leader of the black-clad men, even in his Eight-armed Demon God form, revealed a look of utter shock and panic.
"How is this possible?" he blurted out, his eyes wide with disbelief. The scales of victory, which he had been so sure of, seemed to be tilting. "Impossible! The power of a peak eighth-level cultivator! Why don't I know of you? Who in the world are you?"
His voice began to tremble, laced with a mix of indignation and fury.
「Outside the battlefield」
Whether it was the subordinates of the black-clad leader or Chen Pingchuan's newly acquired followers, everyone was rendered speechless by the cataclysmic battle unfolding within Steel City.
Number One had finally managed to extinguish the flames that engulfed him, but his body was a gruesome sight, like a piece of charred, smoked meat emitting a nauseating aroma. Forcing himself to ignore the agonizing pain and the terror in his heart, he shuffled slowly toward Lilia and her companions.
When he stood before them, his scorched face was a mask of conflict and apprehension. His gaze swept over them, his mind a tangled mess. On one hand, he desperately wanted to pry some information about Chen Pingchuan out of them, hoping to find a way to turn the tables. On the other hand, the terrifying power Chen Pingchuan was displaying filled him with dread. He knew that if he rashly attacked these people and Chen Pingchuan emerged victorious, he would face the full, storm-like fury of the man.
His fists clenched and unclenched, his lips trembling as he finally managed to squeeze out the words, "Who... exactly are you?"
Lilia and the others were still frozen in place, their gazes locked on the colossal figure of fire. Their eyes were filled with bewilderment. They had always known their boss, Chen Pingchuan, was remarkably strong, but they had never imagined he was capable of unleashing such overwhelming power. His mere presence was enough to make it hard for them to breathe, let alone fight him.
Number One's question snapped them back to reality. Their first instinct was to adopt a defensive posture. Even Porcupine, who was usually slow to react, quickly moved in front of Lilia and Wei Hao, serving as a human shield. Great Fierce Bear panted heavily, its large, round eyes glaring fiercely at Number One and his men.
"Heh, a bunch of little brats," Number One sneered, completely ignoring their defensive stances. "Relax, I'm not going to attack you. If I'm not mistaken, the strongest among you hasn't even reached the sixth level. I wouldn't stoop so low as to deal with you myself. So, there's no need to be so tense."
His words eased some of their tension, but Wei Hao quickly sensed that something was amiss.
He spoke softly, "Are you too proud to attack us, or are you just not confident your leader can win this fight? Save those words for children. Saying any more just makes you a laughingstock."
Wei Hao's words were spoken slowly, but they cut deep. Number One's brow furrowed, his irritation growing. What a bunch of insolent brats.
Just then, a clear female voice cut in. "Putting that aside for a moment, if our goals don't conflict, can't we get them to stop? If they keep going, the whole city is going to be destroyed."
The speaker was Lu Jiaojiao. However, her words were met with silence. Everyone with eyes could see that the battle between those two monsters was not something that they, a group of Little Kalami, had any power to influence.
「In the center of the city」
Seeing Chen Pingchuan's transformation, the black-clad leader felt a sense of utter disbelief. He had already transformed into a Divine Servant to fight, yet he still couldn't gain the upper hand. Just what kind of monster am I fighting? The mission is important, but if I don't use my ultimate move now, I'm going to die.
With that thought, the black-clad leader let out a wild roar. "Power of destruction, awaken again!"
The body of the Eight-armed Demon God rapidly swelled, its muscles bulging grotesquely as black flames erupted across its surface, burning with such intensity they nearly consumed its entire form. The muscles on its eight arms knotted like ancient roots, and black scales sprouted from its skin, each one shimmering with an eerie light. Two huge black horns grew from its head, and it spewed black smoke from its mouth that carried a pungent stench. Its sixteen compound eyes turned a deeper shade of crimson, as if about to drip blood, their gaze filled with an insatiable desire for destruction.
After their transformations, the two titans faced off once more, the powerful energy radiating from them distorting the very air around them.
"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—utterly futile!"
Chen Pingchuan attacked first. The Fire God charged toward the Eight-armed Demon Monster like a burning meteor, his Flame Sword held high before he brought it down in a vicious slash. The sword was imbued with immense flame power, igniting the air in its path and creating a towering pillar of fire.
The Eight-armed Demon Monster didn't dodge. Instead, it crossed four of its arms to block the blow. The Flame Sword crashed against its limbs with a deafening BANG, and the powerful shockwave caused the surrounding ruins to crumble even further.
Several deep cracks appeared on the monster's arms, but it paid them no mind. Its other four arms seized the opportunity to claw at Chen Pingchuan's chest with lightning speed.
Chen Pingchuan deftly sidestepped the attack. With a single flap of his wings, he unleashed a massive firestorm that swept toward the Eight-armed Demon Monster.
The monster was instantly enveloped in the inferno. Black and red flames intertwined and clashed, crackling violently. Yet, the Eight-armed Demon Monster stood firm within the blaze. Its eight arms thrashed wildly, tearing an opening in the firestorm before it leaped out and lunged straight for Chen Pingchuan.
Chen Pingchuan sneered. "Is that all you've got? Kneel, and I might spare your life!"
The Eight-armed Demon Monster laughed maniacally. "Insignificant human, you know nothing of a god's greatness! I will show you what true destruction is!"
Chen Pingchuan retorted with disdain, "Destruction? Then let's see who truly represents destruction!"
The Eight-armed Demon Monster roared, "To disrespect a god is to die!"