CHAPTER 330: JUDGMENT FAILED

Zain smirked as he looked around the battlefield.

"So... you’ve all had your turn."

His gaze sharpened and locked onto Krovath.

"Now it’s mine."

He took a step forward, the ground cracking beneath his foot.

"You’re first."

Krovath narrowed his eyes.

He already had his [Serpent Domain] active, and its secondary effect, [Spiral Drain], was slowly pulling energy from Zain into himself.

Krovath summoned more threads that were more powerful than before.

Thin glowing lines shot out from his arms, shoulders, and spine.

They whipped toward Zain with deadly speed.

"Let’s see how you handle this," Krovath said.

The threads wrapped around Zain again, this time tighter, stronger, and more dangerous.

They weren’t just there to hold him down.

These threads had venom inside, which could weaken, paralyse, and even block nerve flow.

Some stabbed directly at pressure points, aiming to disrupt Zain’s ability to move or use skills.

But Zain only grinned.

Black flames burst out from his body.

[Heavenly Demon Flame]

The flames spread across the threads, burning them apart.

The poison inside boiled and vanished. The air twisted as the dark fire crackled.

Krovath’s eyes widened. "What—?"

Zain didn’t stop.

He dashed forward, closing the gap in an instant.

In his palm, a ball of glowing dark energy formed.

[Heavenly Demon Ether]

It pulsed like a beating heart.

Zain slammed his palm into Krovath’s chest.

The ball of energy entered Krovath’s body like ink into water.

Zain leaned close and whispered, "You poisoned me. Now try surviving my poison."

[Heavenly Demon Ether] wasn’t like normal energy.

It was poisonous. It corroded from the inside, slowly breaking down energy and flesh.

It spread like a sickness, silent and hungry, impossible to cleanse unless forced out by pure power.

Krovath’s muscles twitched. His breathing grew sharp.

His body jerked slightly as the corruption moved deeper into his core.

He tried to form more threads, but his fingers shook.

He gritted his teeth, sweat sliding down his face.

Zain took a few steps back and smirked. "Let’s see how long you last."

Then he turned to Averak, eyes glowing.

Averak narrowed his gaze.

This new Supreme wasn’t just reckless. He was dangerous.

He raised a hand slowly. "You really are what your name says... a demon."

Zain grinned. "A demon who walks. A demon who rules."

Averak didn’t wait any longer. He activated his strongest skill.

[Apex Judgment]

Light burst from above like a falling star.

A giant beam of divine energy came crashing down from the sky, locked onto Zain.

"You call yourself a demon?" Averak said firmly. "Then this attack will hit you harder than anyone."

Zain looked up as the light descended.

He didn’t run. He didn’t dodge.

Instead, he opened his arms and laughed.

The light slammed into him, covering him in blinding radiance.

The ground exploded beneath him, and a large crater formed.

But inside the crater, a silhouette remained standing.

Zain.

His clothes were torn. Smoke rose from his skin.

But he still stood, his head tilted back, his eyes wide.

"Ha... hah... It’s been so long," he muttered. "So long since I felt this alive."

He took a step forward.

Averak’s eyes narrowed. "You absorbed part of it?"

Zain nodded, slowly. "Trying to. But your beam’s a bit nasty. Can’t eat it as fast as I want."

His voice was calm, even cheerful.

Each step Zain took left cracks in the floor.

His aura still surged.

Despite the light still burning on part of his body, he walked toward Averak.

"You should have used that move at the start," Zain said. "Maybe it would’ve stopped me then."

Averak frowned. He activated [Sanctified Will] again.

The air around him grew heavier. Zain’s legs felt slower.

His thoughts dimmed slightly as confusion crept in.

But Zain grinned through the pressure. "This again? You really like this little trick."

Zain clenched his fist. A dark surge of energy surrounded his arm.

He roared and exploded forward in a flash of black and red light.

With a burst of force, he broke through from the pillar of light.

He swung his fist straight at Averak.

[Heavenly Demon Fist]

A concentrated blow of corrupted ether and raw physical force.

Averak raised his arm and blocked it, skidding backwards several steps.

The shockwave cracked the stone under their feet.

Zain landed and looked up with a wild smile. "Come on, Apex Guardian. I want more."

Averak’s expression darkened.

He hadn’t met someone like this in a long time.

Someone who didn’t fear the light.

Someone who smiled in the middle of pain.

Someone who laughed while burning.

Zain raised both arms and shouted, "This is the kind of fight I’ve missed!"

His aura swirled around him like a storm.

"I’m not here to be one of many," Zain said, voice steady. "I’m here to take the top."

Suddenly, from behind him, a voice came.

"You really are nasty, Heavenly Demon."

Krovath stepped out, his skin glowing slightly. His body pulsed with fresh ether.

He activated [Perfect Shedding].

His outer layer of skin and muscle peeled away like ash, burning off all the [Heavenly Demon Ether] Zain had planted earlier.

Krovath stood tall. His new body looked even stronger, his scales darker and cleaner.

"You forced me to use this skill," Krovath said. "I almost never touch it."

Zain chuckled. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Krovath nodded. "This is it then. Averak, are you ready?"

Averak slowly raised his hand and focused.

A light pulse moved through his body.

He forced the remaining black ether out of his limbs with a small burst.

"I agree," Averak said.

"Zain, we’ve seen enough. You are now one of the Supremes of this island."

Zain blinked. "Oh? You’re backing down already? But we just started."

Averak’s face stayed calm. "We are not children, Zain. Supremes do not fight for fun."

Krovath crossed his arms. "And if we were serious, this would be different."

Zain grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Good. Because I wasn’t serious either. If I were..."

He pointed at both of them.

"You two would already be crawling."

The air turned silent.

Krovath and Averak didn’t reply, but their eyes narrowed.