This move was taught by the Dark Envoy, holding Twilight Deadlock, instructing Austin in person how to use it.
After returning from the Icebound Continent, Austin had barely mastered the technique.
Leaving a bodyguard ready to self-destruct at any moment, Austin joined the battle with Wayne and Douglas, who was no longer himself at that point; a more suitable description would be the vessel known as Lord Pride.
The power of Hell protected Douglas from being eroded by Death, his skin as hard as steel, while Wayne knocked and banged for a while, unable to break through from the outside.
If there was no way through from the outside, they’d have to go from the inside!
Douglas swung his arms and roared furiously, the sound wave shockwaves roaring and shaking the entire Grey Space.
The Book of Greed gorged to the pinnacle of scholarship, its Great Eyeball whirling in joy. As the shockwaves forced Wayne to slowly retreat, he suppressed his restless desires, pouring down his massive thoughts and in the moment they touched Douglas, they triggered his pale flesh from within.
In the exchange, Wayne sensed the existence of secondary Corruption within the Six-Eyed Lion Demon, and although he did not understand what happened, faced with a weakness presented on a silver platter, he decisively chose an easier battle strategy.
When it came to Corruption, aside from the Sea God on Dragonheart Island, he hadn’t feared anyone else.
Douglas’s roar immediately distorted, turning silent halfway as if his voice had broken, the sharp vocal strains running out of steam and nothing like the roar of a lion.
Behind Douglas, his Bat Wing twisted and melted, shedding the black to become a pale muck.
Similar transformations were rampant within him, his melting arms and face escalating in their collapse.
Wayne nodded inwardly, acknowledging that Evolution surpassed all; this was far more useful than Magic.
In just a few breaths, Douglas collapsed into a mound of white sludge, the wriggling White Foam attempting to reshape a body with only tendrils sprouting with every change.
Austin cautiously stopped in his tracks, watching this scene before him, and thought how eerily strange it was.
Frank’s thoughts hid within The Book of Hell, secretly exerting power, activating the Seven Deadly Sins Melody in an attempt to regain control of this flesh through buffing up.
The effect was mediocre, and he failed to seize control.
Frank, confused, questioned why Lord Pride, having descended to the Mortal World and having bestowed upon him the task of evolving The Book of Hell, would allow this Evolution to be interrupted.
Loyal believers, when faced with difficulties, would actively seek excuses for their faith.
After a brief contemplation, Frank understood the intent of Lord Pride; this was part of Evolution, the material needed by The Book of Hell.
Realizing the key, Frank directly opened The Book of Hell and accepted the new Evolution.
Chains entwined around the leather-bound book, suspenseful in mid-air, a black Storm whirling, crushing the white flesh and devouring it all into the core of the storm’s vortex.
The last of Frank’s consciousness tore into shards within the dark vortex, becoming one of the fusion materials, a part of The Book of Hell’s Evolution.
Amidst the darkness, flesh and the Seven Deadly Sins Melody united, reshaping a shell.
The Book of Greed peeped out.JPG
It smelled another type of delicious food; today was a feast, ecstatic to the utmost.
A two-meter-tall, white, faceless figure slowly took shape, limbs delicate and androgynous, the upper half of the face covered by a black mask, adorned with six golden eyes.
From the chest down, a vertical split opened, black Mud slowly flowing, seven faces heavy with sin intermittently sinking and surfacing, each in excruciating agony.
Behind the faceless one, four thick tentacles flailed disorderly.
The Boss transformed again!
Wayne had seen the ultimate form of The Book of Hell before, each time it was different, with changes especially in height and stature.
The first time was at Snow Family, the ultimate form was five meters tall; the second time at Lando Manor, almost three meters tall; this time it shrank directly to two meters, in clothes and shoes quite indistinguishable from an ordinary person.
But those seven faces symbolising the Seven Demon Lords made Wayne wary, this was not an ordinary person if there was no difference between humans and Hell.
Wayne was quite familiar with the four tentacles fluttering behind the faceless one, controlled by his thoughts, attempting to resonate with them.
The tentacles swayed slightly, seemingly responding to something, but that was it; they did not comply with Wayne’s intent.
Interesting, the path of Evolution in Hell was not simple.
What about the performance of Divine Blood? Why wasn’t it seen?
Was the interruption successful?
Just as Wayne tightened his grip on Shadowmare, the body of the faceless one dissolved, the writhing White Foam shrinking and retracting completely back into The Book of Hell.
The black leather book bound by chains hung silently in mid-air, immobile.
The Book of Greed grew impatient, urging Wayne to quickly take the book; if he waited longer, fear that another mysterious figure might snatch it.
It was the third time such an event had occurred.
The desires of The Book of Greed were Wayne’s desires; he tried to stay calm and consider further, yet ultimately, desire triumphed over caution, and he struck The Book of Hell with Death Essence.
Death Aura triggered the defense mechanism, the surface of the leather book illuminating with characters from the Seven Deadly Sins Melody, pulsing black light, The Book of Hell remained uncorrupted by Death.
Austin raised one hand, the Darkness seeking to descend and taint, yet failing to darken or Devour it.
Wayne hesitated over whether to take this book or not, with a hidden expert lurking; it was hard to say if The Book of Hell was deliberately left by the other party, taking it now could fall right into their trap.
What if it was all overthought, rejecting the gift from Nature, would that not hurt Nature’s feelings?
After some inner conflict, desire still overcame caution.