Host, Please Be Honest! What Exactly Are You? Chapter 676 An Unexpected End

676 An Unexpected End

A toothache? No, this pain was far beyond that. Barthartos roared with unrestrained fury. "Incoming!" Old Bho exclaimed, his gaze fixed on the massive worms, dog-sized, emerging from the Titan's gullet. They faced the threat of crushing teeth, the menace of being chewed to death by worms, and the ever-present danger of the titans' colossal hands attempting to smash their skulls into oblivion. Hmph! Old Gia scoffed. "While we may face challenges against the giant, your kind, whose skin isn't formed of rock, cannot possibly intimidate us."

With a flick of his sword, he unleashed a torrent of lightning streaks, slicing through the advancing swarm of worms. They believed this to be the end of those particular creatures. However, fate had other plans, as the subsequent wave of worms that crawled forth were, inexplicably, rock worms.

(-_-)

"Take this!"

"And this!"

"And that!"

…

Indeed, the conflict was as relentless as ever. Yet, for Old Madam Ghu, Old Ghu, and Wiggins, their confrontation with Cyperion, a titan Elder, proved somewhat less perilous. Thanks to Old Bho's foresight, they easily identified his vulnerability—his mouth. Cyperion periodically spewed lava, establishing himself as a formidable adversary. But as these intense battles raged, the spectators and those within the barrage meticulously observed the multitude of beings the exorcists encountered. "Sir, should we continue documenting?"

"Certainly! Are you daft? Write! Draw! We must compile all available intelligence to ensure our protection against future threats!"

"Precisely! While those two titans have weaknesses in their mouths, others possess them on their foreheads, necks, and various other locations. We must ascertain the reasons behind these variations and determine if they represent distinct subspecies or something else entirely."

So what if these exorcists possess their own clandestine records on the matter?

They, too, are compelled to record and compile their own reports, detailed descriptions, and assessments of the day's conflict. A determined glint flickered in many eyes; it was evident that following today's events, the world's routine operations would undergo a profound transformation. Their choices were stark: succumb to servitude or triumph and safeguard themselves from another blinding invasion. Thus, what reason is there for hesitation?

Write, write, write…. Draw, draw, draw…

Thus, the battlefield became a vibrant tableau, stained with red, green, blue, and even the dark hue of ink-blood. Some belonged to the exorcists, while others marked the fallen underworld beings. Can you perceive it? Can you feel the intense heat radiating from the chaotic battlefield?

Such a scene, fraught with peril, bloodshed, and intense ferocity, was visible from every vantage point. Sweat, like venomous vipers, stung the eyes of the onlookers on the surface, who were subjected to a constant barrage of creatures attempting to breach their sanctuary. "Destroy the portals!"

"Destroy the portals!"

Specialized teams of exorcists had long commenced their mission to dismantle the numerous portals. These portals pulsed with illuminated demonic runes. The exorcists toiled diligently, felling the surrounding creatures to put an end to the portals permanently. Eradicate them!

Do you have any inkling of the sheer volume of creatures pouring through with each passing second?

"Slay them! Slay them all!"

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The duel between Dorian and Beelzebub was a macabre dance of demise. The two combatants displayed remarkably similar fighting styles, exuding an aura of calm and strategic thought. Beelzebub wielded his staff, while Dorian maneuvered his Katana in a precise, clockwise fashion, projecting twelve spectral blade figments toward his adversary. BOOM!

Their prolonged engagement had now spanned three hours. The battle was unmistakably approaching its crescendo; both combatants could sense it. Beelzebub experienced a sharp, visceral pain shoot through his arm, and Dorian felt a corresponding ache in his shoulders. Both had sustained injuries, but one participant, though the decline was subtle, recognized he was being outmatched.

Dorian's breaths were becoming slightly more labored than usual.

Beelzebub stood opposite him, and a brief pause fell over their fierce exchange. "Human, you possess considerable skill." Beelzebub offered his commendation. "However, you have significantly infringed upon my time. By this point, I should have been ascending to the heavens, wreaking havoc. Instead, I find myself confined here with you…"

Beelzebub paused, a flicker of perplexity crossing his features. "I cannot explain it, but even prior to detecting my Bony finger, an inexplicable aversion to you arose within me."

It was a profound sense of disdain, rooted deep within him, a feeling he couldn't quite articulate. Another matter that filled him with astonishment was the Bony finger itself. How could it possibly accept a human, even one who identifies as an exorcist? And from his current observation, it appeared to have... evolved alongside the human?

No, that line of reasoning defies all logic. Something felt fundamentally amiss. "You dislike me?" Dorian inquired with a soft chuckle. "The sentiment is entirely mutual."

Engaging this human felt inherently wrong to Beelzebub, as though Dorian harbored an intrinsic quality that stirred a latent, deep-seated fear within him. "Human, your audacity is remarkable. You may not comprehend this, but you are the very first exorcist to earn my acknowledgment. Nevertheless, you are aware that I am, albeit slightly, the stronger combatant."

Beelzebub halted, his countenance chilling. "And to ensure you don't try any tricks on me, I must unfortunately conclude our little confrontation prematurely."

This decision was not only for Dorian's well-being but for his own, Beelzebub reasoned internally. Furthermore, he desired the return of the Bony artifact to commence his ascension ritual. Even if that bony finger had formed an attachment to this mortal, so what?

What he, Beelzebub, had tirelessly sought for eons could not be relinquished or utilized by any other than himself!

With this resolve, Beelzebub readied his ultimate technique. The system, perceiving this shift, was immediately alarmed. [Host, Host! Are you alright? I'm detecting that you might not be able to endure much longer.]

'I am aware...' Dorian conveyed internally. The system felt a fragment of its non-corporeal core fracture.

BOOM!

Beelzebub unleashed his final strike, sending Dorian hurtling away. In that instant, all observers froze momentarily. They... they had never witnessed Dorian in such a wretched condition. "GRANDMASTER!!!!!!!"

A collective gasp swept through the world. As the dust subsided, it revealed a grievously wounded Dorian, sprawled beneath Beelzebub, showing no signs of rising. Meanwhile, Chen Su, observing this calamitous turn of events, cackled with ruthless glee. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~

He had foreseen this! He had known!

Humanity was doomed.