How strong were the gods in the ancient era?
This question had been on Roel’s mind for a long time. In a bid to find the answer, the younger Roel had once consulted Grandar and the others about it, only to receive a surprising answer.
Origin Level 1.
Reaching Origin Level 1 was a momentous feat that only a very small number of the most talented people could hope to reach, but even so, there was still a huge gap between Origin Level 1 transcendents and ancient gods.
For instance, Magician King Priestley was an Origin Level 1 transcendent too, but his strength was lacking compared to Grandar and the others. This begat the question: What gives rise to the power differences among Origin Level 1 transcendents?
While there were many answers to this question, the most significant factor that drew a boundary between the strong and the weak was the Divine Domain.
Reaching Origin Level 1 provided the foundation required for one to grasp the world’s laws, but an individual had to achieve a deep understanding of the world’s laws if they wanted to create their Divine Domain. However, most people were unable to grasp the world’s laws, so they could only tap into the most rudimentary powers of an Origin Level 1 transcendent.
Those who comprehended the Divine Domain could achieve godhood, whereas those who failed to do so were capped at becoming a Race Sovereign.
Roel hadn’t expected Alicia, who had only reached Origin Level 1 not long ago, to have grasped this ultimate skill.
“Divine Domain.”
As Alicia murmured those words under the moonlight, Roel’s face turned grim at this unexpected trump card. Alicia narrowed her eyes and reaffirmed her judgment.
Her previous strategy was simple—she would channel her colossal mana into Shrouding Fog and Light Devourer to tie down Roel until he expended all his mana. It was a sound plan, as prolonging the battle was a good way to deal with burst-type transcendents.
However, Roel understood this logic too, which was why he chose to give it his all.
He devastated Shrouding Fog’s humongous body through Sia-fication and Grandar’s astounding strength, rendering Shrouding Fog powerless for the time being. On top of that, Alicia had to expend several times as much mana as he had used to save Shrouding Fog from the attack.
Alicia ultimately expended more mana than him in the clash, and the result would likely be the same if she sent Light Devourer up next. Thus, her only option was to resort to her Divine Domain.
“Grandar!” Roel called for his companion, who immediately charged at Alicia to stop her before her Divine Domain was fully unleashed.
However, the aurora swooped in to protect Alicia in place of the white fog. Its light flickered rhythmically as if it was breathing, and tremendous mana surged in from the surroundings.
The crimson lightning from Grandar’s earlier strike, Shrouding Fog’s dissipated body, and the Egg of the Beast God’s dark remnants—Light Devourer was amassing these forces into a bundle of cataclysmic light energy.
As soon as the aurora stopped flickering, the cataclysmic light energy rippled outward with the momentum of a tsunami and wrecked the plains.
However, Roel was undeterred.
Grandar hurled his fist, producing a burst of crimson lightning that protected Roel as he charged straight through the cataclysmic light energy. Deafening explosions shook him, but nothing could draw his attention away from the silver-haired woman in the sky.
Slowly, the gap between Roel and Alicia narrowed.
All of a sudden, the silver moonlight from the sky intensified. Mana began converging from the plains around Roel, causing the space around him to harden. His charge became increasingly arduous with each step, resulting in a significant slowing of his movements.
Meanwhile, iridescent lights manifested around Alicia, heralding her Divine Domain.
Feeling intense danger from those iridescent lights, Roel clenched his jaw and absorbed the dense mana around him before channeling it toward his Crown’s Stones. A frost aura, yellow tempest, searing magma, white fog, and black clouds rushed out and surged toward the sky.
Boom!
The combined powers of the ancient Calamities shattered the spatial moonlight seal as if it was fragile glass, and the resulting shockwave shook the sky. Even the lofty silver moon trembled before Roel’s might in this very instant and dimmed.
Light Devourer’s all-out attack had temporarily kept Grandar’s punch at bay, but it fell short of holding Roel back. A billowing white fog rushed forward to shield Alicia, but it was as flimsy as a thin veil. It felt like nothing could stop Roel anymore.
I can do it!
Bolstered by a white fog and a dark cloud, Roel charged with unstoppable momentum toward the silver-haired woman in the sky.
The yellow tempest giant was tenaciously blocking Light Devourer’s every move, whereas the frost aura was holding back Shrouding Fog in the sky. Grandar had begun channeling crimson lightning and flames in his fist once more, ready to end this battle.
Just as it looked like everything was coming to an end, Shrouding Fog suddenly parted to reveal a composed silver-haired woman and the domain she had just unleashed.
This is bad!
Roel hurriedly retreated in alarm, but it was all too late.
Silver moonlight washed over the world. The vast plains vanished, and a moonlit sea took their place. Alicia stood alone in the sky, with Shrouding Fog and Light Devourer nowhere to be seen. The silver moon looked unchanged at first glance, but upon closer look, there was a shadow silhouette overlapped behind it.
Roel widened his eyes as he realized the significance of the silver moon’s shadow silhouette.
It was the Black Moon.