Capítulo 834: Chapter 299: Ultimate

The colossal shrimp loomed over the Black Lake, nearly blending with the night itself, yet impossible to ignore, exuding a terrifying demonic aura.

Its rugged shell, heavy as a mountain, was more profound than the night; even the Radiance of the Phoenix could not illuminate its details.

Merely gazing upon it for a moment felt as if countless cold hands were tearing at one’s soul, dragging the observer’s spirit into the Abyss of nightmares, to be permanently imprisoned and tormented.

No normal human imagination could conjure such a terrifying Magic Creature; it’s a horror and oppression that cannot be conveyed through simple imagery, an ominous Nightmare that defies ordinary language.

The Hero looked down from the sky at the unmoving Nether Sea Dream, feeling a heavy heart.

She remembered the Divine Knowledge Saintess mentioning in the Church’s Secret Scripture about the commonality of the Great Demon: the ravaging of the world, never allowing the existence of hindrances.

The entanglement of the Corrupted Phoenix with the Ancient Hero, the erosion of the Pope by the Nether Sea Dream, and even the Four-winged King’s obsession with her, were likely all results of this Nature.

But this doesn’t mean they are completely inflexible and roundabout.

Just like the Corrupted Phoenix would try to escape when near death, the Nether Sea Dream Erosion Group now evidently underwent a more threatening transformation—exactly what the old Pope had always strived to prevent.

To erode the group, one must first attack the leader. Because of this Nature of the Nether Sea Dream, the Pope chose to step forward, using himself as a barrier, enduring the Nightmare’s torment and assault alone for decades.

But this doesn’t mean the Nightmare would subsequently ignore other individuals altogether.

Just like the Nun on the Isolated Island, if she gets too close to the Nightmare, even if she’s not the leader, an individual alone cannot escape its fate.

If there is only the leader alone in front, the Nether Sea Dream indeed won’t easily bypass to attack others; but if multiple targets appear simultaneously, it clearly won’t mind capturing everyone in one fell swoop.

By then, even if the leader can still hold on, the Nightmare will spread like a plague.

But that’s not the worst.

The worst-case scenario is that the Dream Erosion Group no longer satisfies itself with invading dreams, but chooses to land in reality…

By then, its target for erosion will no longer be just the leader, nor limited to a single or multiple individuals, but the entire city, even a broader civilization itself.

Treating the collective of all individuals as a single target, ravaging it.

For the collective Nether Sea Dream, perhaps this is its true stance as a Great Demon ravaging the world.

As long as the Holy City is attacked in reality, no, as long as there is a large-scale conflict with the Church, even if the Holy City isn’t truly breached, the seeds of the Nightmare will plant deeply in the Spirit of every participant.

The old Pope would rather be on the brink of collapse than reveal the truth or seek external aid, precisely to avoid this worst possible outcome.

Once the Nightmare steps into reality, regardless of the final outcome of victory or defeat, the Church’s fate can only be one of downfall.

In the white-as-day sky, the previously vaporized groundwater fell as a torrential rain, golden-hued raindrops crashed onto the still-boiling Black Lake, spreading circles of pure white ripples.

The previously bottomless Abyss-like Black Lake quickly became mottled, resembling a chaotic chessboard where black and white on the lake’s surface vied for more territory.

Amidst the heavy rain, the Hero released a vast sea of Magic Power from her body, and the Outer Body Incarnation of the Sea Shrimp leapt forth, its eye sockets glowing with extreme anger.

Compared to the mountain-like corpses below, the Sea Shrimp seemed much smaller, but the disparity in size was clearly not seen as an obstacle. It raised its eerie blue Chopping Axe high, ready to slash downward, yet was firmly held by the Hero’s outstretched claws, its shrimp tail defiantly thrashing in the sky.

‘Calm down.’

After exhausting its Strength and dying, the Sea Shrimp’s remains shattered under the impact of the sea waterfall, returning to the cycle of nature.

Even the Hero on land could inherit that portion of Magic Power, so for the Nether Sea Dream nestled in the Deep Sea, capturing more was not surprising.

Moreover, in the vast unending ocean throughout long years, who knows if there were other Sea Shrimp that failed to break through and were buried at sea.

Although the Hero shared in the Sea Shrimp’s anger, she could sense that the terrifying giant below, formed by countless corpses and nightmares condensed, held a force so immense that a mere Outer Body Incarnation couldn’t possibly confront it.

Once it neared the Holy City, it’s unimaginable how many would perish in utter agony and despair.

‘The Saintess is the guiding star, an unextinguished light… Precisely because of everyone’s trust and expectations, we find ourselves here.’

The Sea Shrimp halted its struggle, the light in its eyes calming.

The Hero’s tone was calm, carrying an unquestionable will.

‘Behind us is the Holy City, it cannot be allowed to come any closer.’

‘——Destroy it with all your might.’

[Hero activates Skill: Lonely]

[Guardian Target: Holy City, Scale at City Level, Universal Attributes +90]

[Hero’s upcoming actions——]

1~3. Dishonorable Warfare

4~6. Blue Phoenix

7~9. Ultimate Slash! ♛

10. Great Success/Extreme Failure

D10=d10(7)=7

Having decided to counterattack the Nightmare, the Hero grasped the Sea Shrimp, hovering in the sky, seeking an opening for an attack, yet from the now still shrimp came an incredibly resolute determination.

‘Are you sure?’