Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 476: Astarotte (7)

Thud—!

Immediately after a gruesome sound, akin to flesh being impaled, reached Alon and Seollang’s ears,

their turning heads were met with the sight of a foreign object lodged precisely where the Descended One’s head had been.

[Hhh— hhaahahahahaha—!!]

As if its ultimate purpose had been fulfilled, it erupted into maniacal laughter.

The spear, having traversed its neck to pierce its very heart, glistened, slick with crimson blood.

Though it appeared to have sustained a fatal blow at first glance, a rumble began.

──────────Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble—!

—from the very instant its deranged laughter commenced, the earth itself started to tremble, radiating an aura of dread that permeated the vicinity.

[-!]

The ensuing power was so overwhelming that it completely extinguished any will to fight among the present Divine blood.

“………”

As if confronting the utterly incomprehensible, the Divine blood gazed upon the Descended One with vacant, uncomprehending eyes.

Seollang, her own expression mirroring theirs, released a low, drawn-out sigh.

Certainly, Seollang had already resigned herself to the impossibility of victory even before the Descended One deployed the fragment.

Nevertheless,

she had believed that stalling for time was still within reach.

But now?

‘……Even that is no longer feasible.’

Seollang arrived at this somber conclusion with stark clarity.

At this juncture, there was nothing further she could contribute to the ongoing conflict.

And it wasn't only her.

Not a single soul present could offer any meaningful assistance.

This was because the Descended One before them was, in truth, transforming into an unstoppable entity.

“……Teacher.”

Having reached this grave realization, Seollang uttered Alon’s name unconsciously.

Alon’s gaze naturally shifted towards her.

Gazing at his impassive face, Seollang’s lips moved as if by reflex.

“……Why did you do that?”

In all honesty, Seollang already possessed the answer she sought.

Yet, she fundamentally struggled to grasp Alon’s decision.

She was aware of his compassionate nature.

She knew him to be someone who would readily sacrifice himself to protect others.

But even so,

his involvement this time carried an unfathomable weight.

“This is… far too unreasonable.”

To ensure Seollang’s safety, he had placed his own life on the line,

along with the lives of those dear to him.

And that burden was simply too immense—

“No.”

Seollang’s thoughts were abruptly severed in that instant.

Vacantly, she raised her eyes to meet Alon’s.

The circumstances had deteriorated to the absolute worst imaginable.

The Divine blood experienced profound despair in the face of the overwhelming might emanating from the Descended One.

The earth convulsed violently, like leaves caught in a gale, from the sheer shockwaves of that power.

And the sky, which had been radiantly clear mere moments ago, was once more plunged into an endless, consuming darkness.

Yes.

Every vista before them offered nothing but a scene steeped in utter despair.

A landscape utterly devoid of any glimmer of hope.

That was the unvarnished truth.

It had to be.

And yet—

“It isn’t unreasonable.”

Even amidst the pervasive chaos.

Even as the Descended One gradually unleashed its formidable power, filling all present with a crushing sense of helplessness.

“Even if it appears that way to others—”

Simply, in a voice imbued with profound calmness,

those unwavering eyes met Seollang’s, which were trembling with profound anxiety—

“for me, this is entirely reasonable.”

Uttered with unwavering conviction.

─────────────KWA A A A A A A A A A—!!

A terrifying wave of murderous intent surged outwards in all directions.

A deafening explosion detonated, powerful enough to render all hearing momentarily numb—

and amidst it, the desperate cries of the Divine blood could be faintly perceived.

However, none of that registered in Seollang’s consciousness.

All that occupied her vision

was the visage of the man speaking softly,

forcing a faint smile, one that didn't come naturally, solely to offer her solace.

“……Ah.”

Seollang could only exhale a soft breath, filled with a sense of quiet awe.

And then—

[So this… is power—]

the Descended One’s complete awakening was finalized.

####

The initial element that captured the eye was the fragment still embedded within the Descended One’s core.

Following that was its skin, which had previously been gaunt, resembling that of a starving monk, now entirely consumed by a dark hue.

And the final, most striking feature—

was its hands.

Yes. Hands.

From the expanse behind the Descended One’s back, hundreds of hands had unfurled, reminiscent of the visual spectacle of a thousand-armed deity statue.

‘……This is utterly insane.’

Alon, not typically one to resort to expletives, found himself in an internal state of disbelief upon observing the Descended One.

The sheer magnitude of the Descended One’s power, now that it had fully integrated the fragment, far surpassed even Alon’s most dire projections.

It was a desperate predicament, more dire than he had ever foreseen.

And yet, even within such dire straits, Alon drew a quiet breath.

While the situation was indeed desperate, it was not an insurmountable one.

After all, the Dao Alon had attained was cultivated precisely for the purpose of overcoming predicaments such as this.

“Hoo—”

The rigorous training for his Dao had been flawlessly executed.

All necessary preparations were also meticulously completed.

Nevertheless, the sole reason Alon still hesitated to readily employ his Dao

stemmed from his unresolved inner ‘decision.’

Thus, he paused for but a solitary moment.

Step.

Seollang moved past Alon’s side.

Her face was set with an unwavering, resolute determination.

“Help me.”

[Hmph— After treating me like mere scraps all this time………]

In response to Seollang’s earnest plea, the petulant voice of the Sin—the very entity Alon had encountered previously—resonated.

But only for a fleeting moment.

“I am the one asking you.”

[Are you truly alright with this? You know, up until now—]

“Yeah.”

[......Tch.]

The Sin clicked its tongue with visible displeasure at Seollang’s decisive reply, as if severing a connection. And before anyone could register, intense heat shimmered from the black gauntlet adorning her other hand.

Crackle—!

Dark haze billowed outward, and crackling lightning began to intertwine with it in a process resembling a volatile chemical reaction. This fusion birthed a surge of explosive black lightning.

[Hhh—]

Yet, even as Seollang transformed into a figure starkly different from before, the Descended One observed her with unwavering ease. It was aware that no matter what trump card Seollang unveiled at this juncture, it would ultimately prove futile. All present shared this sentiment, and thus, the Descended One watched Seollang’s desperate struggle as if observing a farcical performance.

“Seollang.”

Turning at Alon’s call, Seollang’s appearance startled him immensely. The reason was evident—Seollang, wielding the Sin’s power, appeared dangerously unstable. Uncontrolled lightning arced erratically in all directions, and one of her eyes began to morph into something resembling a demonic gaze.

Upon witnessing this, Alon’s initial reaction was bewilderment. To his knowledge, while the Sin’s power was formidable, it shouldn’t be to an extent that Seollang, at her current cultivation level, couldn’t manage. After all, she had previously contended with the poison-eater, a being far mightier than the Sin.

‘Indeed, as you are aware, Godfather, the Five Great Sins are essentially guardian artifacts. In other words, they weren’t designed for independent combat operations—they were created to be wielded.’

‘Which implies—’

‘That the full extent of the power I witnessed, and the power you observed, was not the complete picture.’

This fleeting doubt vanished as Rine’s words echoed in Alon’s mind. Simultaneously—

‘It is tied to your law, Godfather.’

‘......My law?’

‘Yes. The degree of its amplification hinges entirely on your law.’

These were words Rine had spoken to him previously—words Alon had, until now, forgotten.

“Teacher, I will find a way to stop it.”

The instant Alon recalled those words, Seollang’s voice reached his ears. He turned to look at her, only to find her smiling. Even in this dire moment, her smile was radiantly bright, akin to someone who had finally discovered that which they had long sought. Observing this, another of Rine’s past pronouncements surfaced in Alon’s thoughts.

Concurrently, a singular concept crystallized in his mind.

“……”

It was merely a nascent idea. He hadn’t once tested its efficacy, nor had he thoroughly analyzed its potential drawbacks. The sheer number of unconfirmed side effects made immediate implementation in such a critical situation unwise. He wasn’t even certain if this interpretation aligned with Rine’s original intent.

But if this concept truly represented Rine’s intended meaning—if it was indeed what she had all along been hinting at—then it was an avenue worth exploring, more than worth the risk of testing.

And so—

“......Seollang.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

“Can you place your trust in me?”

Alon finally spoke. “Yeah.”

Seollang responded with a nod, not the slightest hint of hesitation in her demeanor. Confirming her trust, Alon closed his eyes and invoked his ‘law.’

[……!]

Mere moments prior, the Descended One had observed the exchange with detached amusement, as if enjoying a dramatic spectacle. However, upon realizing belatedly that Alon had activated his law, a palpable sense of urgency now pervaded its being—

Hummmmmm—

The very world seemed to resonate. As this happened, time for everything except Alon decelerated dramatically, and the vibrant world around them abruptly transformed into a stark monochrome.

And then—

“I enact the law—”

Alon uttered the decree. When the world snapped back to its normal colors—

[……?]

a flicker of disorientation emanated from the Descended One's movements. It had appeared flustered just moments before, but now, confusion was evident. This was only natural. The Descended One had indisputably witnessed Alon employing his law with its own eyes. Yet, even after its activation, nothing appeared to have changed externally. At most, the only perceptible alteration the Descended One noted was that the beastkin—so formidable she defied being labeled a mere tool—who had previously been unleashing black lightning in torrents, had ceased discharging any power whatsoever.

It stared blankly for a brief interval. Then, observing Seollang as she began to advance slowly towards it from a distance, the Descended One finally arrived at a crucial realization.

‘……She refined the lightning?’

The realization dawned: the beastkin, who had struggled to control lightning, was now wielding it with absolute mastery. [Ha.]

Unconsciously, the Descended One emitted a dry, mirthless laugh. The improbable possibility that had momentarily flickered in its mind was swiftly dismissed.

[What an absurdly impotent law.]

The Descended One fixed Alon with a sneer. The Divine blood, who had been observing with expressions tinged with ‘Could it be?’, now openly displayed their disappointment as they directed their gazes toward Alon. However, Alon met their collective scrutiny with an unperturbed calm.

His law deviated significantly from the typical laws wielded by other Divine blood. Primarily, unlike the abilities of the Divine blood, which typically augment existing capabilities or imbue them with new properties, Alon’s law fundamentally begins with 'restriction'.

Yes. Restriction.This mirrored Alon’s initial use of the beastkin and the fishhook. It was the same as when he vanquished Ultultus, a foe he could never have defeated through his own strength. His guiding principle was inherently restrictive. By sacrificing that which was most treasured, he would receive something far superior in return. This—this was Alon’s fundamental law. “......” Alon then shifted his gaze to Seollang. The flow of lightning from her had ceased. Naturally. The restriction had exacted ‘lightning’ from her very being. Lightning was an incredibly vital element to Seollang. The Golden Mane Tribe draws its power from lightning, and she had embodied the essence of her tribe, mastering every facet of lightning. It had been the sole source of her power until this moment, her entire identity. Yet, she could no longer wield it. Because, through the process of restriction, she had surrendered her lightning. Her very abilities. All that she possessed. She had offered it all up as the ‘restriction.’ [It is time for this charade to conclude.] Looking forward, Alon saw the Descended One, poised as if to announce the end of this protracted drama. Alon observed Seollang as she strode directly before the Descended One, raising her hand. Her movement was achingly slow. No longer moving too swiftly to be perceived by the eye as before, nor crackling with brilliant lightning. It was merely a fist. That was all. It retracted slowly, then propelled forward. Observing this, the Descended One, seemingly content to indulge her, similarly drew back its own hand and delivered a punch. It seemed intent on crushing Seollang outright. Yet, even then, Alon watched the unfolding scene in utter silence. And just as their fists were on the verge of impact— [!] —the Descended One, which had been poised to meet Seollang’s strike, instinctively retracted its outstretched hand and twisted its body away. Consequently, Seollang’s unhurried punch sailed past the Descended One’s flank. And then— ──────────KWA A A A A A A A A A A—!!!!! Accompanied by an explosion of such magnitude it threatened to rupture the ears, they witnessed it. Originating from the Descended One’s position, a chasm, small at first, was carved across the desolate land, stretching all the way to the horizon. “Ah.” At this spectacle, the Descended One’s form faltered for a fleeting moment. That— was the outcome she had achieved. What she had attained in exchange for surrendering ‘lightning,’ an element intrinsically linked to her very existence. What she had gained was— “......I missed.” —the ‘physical prowess’ capable of dominating all, a power so immense it could condescend even to Divine blood.