The Adventures of an Overpowered Knight in Another World Chapter 614- Ultimate Skill- [All Scorching Inferno: God’s Ember]

The assembled leaders looked upwards in utter astonishment. Ignis Prime served as the imperial capital of Draconia, the very seat of power belonging to the Dragon King himself. If they were being summoned to this place, it could only signify that a matter of immense importance had transpired.

With swift nods of agreement, the leaders conveyed their compliance. Not a single soul dared to question the summons.

When the Dragon King issues a call... one obeys without hesitation.

Once consensus was reached, Thane stroked his beard and inquired, "What is the nature of this crisis? Has the Blackreach Bastion finally succumbed?"

That formidable fortress represented their final bulwark against the encroaching demonic territories to the north. Its fall would undoubtedly unleash a cascade of catastrophic consequences.

Aurelius offered a negative response, shaking his head.

"No."

Mutual confusion flickered across the faces of the leaders. Aurelius paused, contemplation evident in his mind, before his gaze unyieldably drifted towards the representative of the elves.

"It is because... the Dragon King has perceived something."

In that very instant, a gentle zephyr swept across the ravaged battlefield.

"...the very pulse of the World Tree."

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Meanwhile, within the ethereal confines of the spiritual realm, Cecilia remained poised in the same location, enveloped by the pristine radiance emanating from the Origin Seed. Her lips moved, weaving a soft, melodic hymn that facilitated the seed's profound transformation.

Under the enchanting cadence of her song, the ethereal silhouette of the World Tree began to materialize.

However, as is often the case, the path of destiny rarely unfolds according to a predetermined plan.

Elsewhere within this spiritual expanse, Reinhardt found himself confronting an anomaly, a palpable rift in the fabric of existence.

The reason behind his description stemmed from its dissimilarity to a mere crack or portal; instead, it bore the horrifying resemblance of a festering wound upon reality itself.

The agitated edges of this spatial tear throbbed like lacerated flesh, spewing forth tendrils of thick, inky demonic energy that adhered to the surrounding ethereal plane, akin to clotted blood.

A miasma of corruption permeated the void around the tear, effectively sealing it and hindering the world's innate capacity for self-healing.

"What manner of entity are you?"

A voice, twisted by malevolence and tinged with an unsettling bewilderment, emanated from the depths of the tear.

Reinhardt offered no verbal reply. His eyes, imbued with a golden luminescence, remained fixed upon the spatial anomaly with unwavering calm.

In the subsequent moment, he menacingly raised his fist and delivered a powerful blow.

Reality itself fractured like brittle glass, and the wound was violently ripped asunder. The spatial fissure widened, finally exposing the horrifying spectacle that lay concealed within.

Reinhardt's attention was immediately drawn to the presence of numerous roots.

Within the tear, an abundance of colossal, ancient roots lay exposed. Unlike the spiritual roots that permeated this domain, these were the tangible, physical roots of the World Tree.

Yet, far from exuding vibrant life, they were desiccated and decaying. A putrid stench of decay permeated the air.

From the corrupted roots, Reinhardt's gaze ascended to the horrifying entity that stirred within, or more accurately, the being that had established its vile domain there.

At the heart of these dying roots, a grotesque insect had ensnared itself.

A beetle.

But this was no ordinary insect. Its immense form was daunting, its carapace fractured and malformed, layered with cracked plates of obsidian chitin from which oozed viscous strands of demonic tar.

Its formidable mandibles, sharp as butcher's blades, tore relentlessly into the sacred roots with each ravenous bite.

This abominable creature was actively consuming, devouring the very essence of the World Tree's roots.

"So, this is the culprit, is it? The entity responsible for the World Tree's slow demise."

In that critical juncture, Reinhardt experienced a profound realization.

Possessing the divine knowledge granted by his [Heaven’s Memory], he had long found it perplexing. Given the World Tree's legendary vitality, its failure to regenerate for a millennium was a profound enigma.

Even in the event of the original tree's destruction, the divine roots should have spurred new growth, birthing a successor.

Yet, this regeneration never occurred.

Now, the truth stood starkly revealed.

It was not an incapacity for revival, but rather a relentless siphoning of its vital essence. A parasitic entity had established its parasitic nexus at the very foundation of the roots, perpetually gnawing away at its life force, effectively strangling it from its core.

As Reinhardt meticulously observed the insect, the creature reciprocated his scrutiny. A multitude of crimson eyes, adorning its grotesque visage, fixated upon him.

These eyes, burning with a sinister sentience, betrayed the complex calculations occurring within.

KIEEEEE!!

Suddenly, the insect emitted a piercing shriek, its unnerving cry reverberating throughout the spiritual expanse. Immense and potent demonic energy surged forth, and before Reinhardt's watchful gaze, the creature commenced its metamorphosis.

The monstrous beetle contorted inwards, its form twisting and reforming until a disturbingly humanoid shape materialized where the insect had once been.

Tall and gaunt, its skin resembled overlapping chitinous plates fused with decaying flesh. Its digits had elongated into razor-sharp black claws, and its eyes retained the same crimson, compound appearance from its beetle form.

Translucent chitinous wings sprouted from its back, and its maw gaped open, revealing jagged mandibles.

The transformed creature regarded Reinhardt with a derisive smirk.

"You have found me, have you? I must confess, I am rather astonished. For a mere mortal to have journeyed to this profound place. Might I deem you truly remarkable?"

The entity from the abyss let out a chilling laugh. Its gaze then shifted, drawn towards the distant, radiant holy field where the nascent form of a new World Tree was slowly taking shape.

"So what if you managed to reach this place? What can you even do? Nothing has changed. I will..."

The creature’s mandibles clicked together. However, before it could go on another prattling session, Reinhardt cut him off.

"I’ll kill you."

For a moment, the words simply hung in the air.

Then, as if it had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world, the creature clutched its stomach and started laughing.

"Kill me? And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Finished laughing, it shook its head in disappointment.

"It seems like I overestimated you, human. You wouldn’t have said that if you truly understood what you’re dealing with. I have been siphoning the vitality of the World Tree for over a thousand years"...

"Unless I leave this place or you find a way to separate the vast World Tree’s vitality from me, killing me is simply impossible."

As it spoke those words, its eyes gleamed with grotesque pride.

Reinhardt’s expression did not change. He had already seen through the creature’s abnormality via the [Eyes of Divine Clarity].

Just as the creature stated, its body was brimming with endless vitality. Killing it via conventional means was not possible.

That’s right, via conventional means, that is.

"That’s not necessarily true."

Reinhardt calmly interrupted.

"Foolish human, can you still not grasp the meaning..."

Reinhardt was in no mood to entertain the creature any further and directly activated one of his ultimate skills.

Conventional means wouldn't work? But can Reinhardt’s powers be classified as conventional?

Closing his eyes, he slowly muttered within his heart.

[All Scorching Inferno: God’s Ember].

At that moment, his heart beat loudly, and everything seemed to come to a stop.

This was only the second instance he had ever employed this power.

Ultimate skills not only consumed immense energy, but their usage also entailed a certain degree of danger to the user.

And worse, the destruction that could be wrought from the careless application of such skills could lead to irrevocable consequences.

Normally, Reinhardt would not resort to utilizing his ultimate skill.

However, this situation was an exception.

After a millennium of dwelling here, the creature had completely absorbed the vitality of the World Tree. Of course, Reinhardt was confident he could slay it even without deploying an ultimate skill.

But doing so would necessitate a prolonged, arduous battle, one that would drain time and potentially jeopardize the World Tree’s revival.

Thus, instead of traversing the lengthy path, Reinhardt opted for the most efficient method.

Erase it completely.

The instant the skill activated, as if the world had been stripped of all color, the malevolent energy, the hues... everything vanished from the space. The world became monochrome.

Then, in the center of Reinhardt’s palm, a kindling of fire slowly sparked to life. Small and fragile, the colorless fire appeared almost harmless.

Yet the moment it came into being, the entire world trembled.

The spectacle resembled witnessing the nascent light in a dead cosmos.

Primordial and incomprehensible.

"You... what is... that?"

Witnessing the inexplicable spectacle and sensing a threat to its existence, the demon’s eyes widened and, for the first time, it experienced fear.

But it was too late.

Reinhardt flicked his finger, and the flame slowly drifted toward the demon.

Gazing upon the beautiful flame, so serene and captivating, it seemed incapable of inflicting harm. However, it was this very flame that caused every bristle on its body to tremble intensely.

The creature yearned to evade. But in the presence of the flame, the world's laws became chaotic.

One second the flame was distant, and the next it had already materialized before it.

The flame arrived and silently permeated the creature’s body.

SILENCE~

For a moment, nothing occurred. Then, with a flash of light, pure white flames erupted from the creature’s body.

These flames differed from the others. They possessed no heat, nor could they be extinguished. But once anything made contact with those flames, it would be incinerated until nothing remained.

[All Scorching Inferno: God’s Ember].