CHAPTER 420: 420

CLANG!

CLANG!

The two swords clashed, sending sparks and shockwaves that tore through the air. Each strike wasn’t just a collision of metal but of pure force that made the entire battlefield tremble.

The air cracked, the ground splintered, and the horizon seemed to warp as the energy of their blows collided.

Roman moved like a shadow, his two short swords forming an "X" as he struck. Every swing cut through the air with frightening precision. Kael countered, his own blade parrying the storm of slashes as the two became blurs of light and motion. The earth beneath them shattered, crumbling into dust with each impact.

Then suddenly, Roman stepped back, his eyes glowing with an arrogant light.

"Enough of this," he said coldly, his voice echoing like a roar from the heavens. "Witness the power of Pride."

The world around him began to twist.

A massive wave of energy surged outward from his body, and the air trembled as a golden aura enveloped everything. Kael felt his movements slow, his limbs stiffening as if unseen chains bound him. The ground fractured beneath Roman’s feet, symbols of arrogance and power glowing across the terrain.

Roman’s Domain of Pride unfolded.

The world turned into a grand illusion of glory and superiority. Mountains crumbled beneath his presence, and the sky split with cracks of golden light. Kael felt a crushing pressure on his chest, as if the domain itself wanted to make him kneel. Every instinct screamed to escape, but Roman’s aura surrounded him like an unbreakable wall.

"Fuck!!" Kael spat, struggling to move as the golden pressure intensified.

He clicked his tongue, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Everyone’s fucking showing off their domains... If this was in the past, you’d be pissing your pants after seeing my domain."

Roman’s smirk deepened, arrogance radiating from him like heat.

But Kael wasn’t boasting for nothing.

Unlike others, his domain wasn’t formed through faith or pride. It was built from death, from the countless lives he had ended. Every scream, every drop of blood he spilled—those memories had once condensed into his domain.

If he wanted to rebuild it, he would have to kill that many again.

Kill thousands no..Tens of thousands no it might way past millions.

Was that even possible now?

When the world was at peace with no war insight.

Unless he went completely insane and murdered everyone in sight... it was impossible.

Roman’s blades slashed out again, golden streaks of light cutting the air. Kael barely dodged, his boots scraping against the shattered ground. He countered, trying to find a weak point in Roman’s defense, but every angle he attacked was blocked.

"Tch. This guy’s defense is a damn fortress."

He thought about using the third form of his Dimensional Swordsmanship, but that technique was meant to kill. It could pierce through any domain, but it was too risky. A sure-kill attack wasn’t something to waste unless the enemy was truly within range.

"Where is your pride, human?" Roman mocked, stepping forward.

Kael glared back, his grip tightening around his sword. "You want to see my pride? Break this domain, and I’ll show you what real pride looks like."

Roman sneered. "Did you think—"

BANG!

Before he could finish, a deafening explosion echoed across the battlefield. A loud scream followed, shaking the entire area. Roman’s head snapped to the side just in time to see several bodies flying toward him. He barely managed to dodge as the corpses crashed into the ground, blood splattering everywhere.

The sudden distraction caused his concentration to slip.

The golden cracks in the air shattered, and his domain collapsed.

Kael didn’t waste time. He prepared to strike, but something stopped him mid-motion. His eyes widened, and his expression froze in disbelief.

"What the hell..."

From the blood-soaked ground, something began to crawl out.

A massive, dark creature—shapeless, pulsing, made of pure blood and hatred. Its body rippled and twisted like liquid flesh.

Kael’s gaze shifted, catching sight of several cloaked figures nearby. They stood in a circle, hands joined, chanting in some ancient tongue.

A chill ran down his spine. The scene felt hauntingly familiar.

"DAMN IT!" he yelled, fury boiling in his veins.

"STOP THESE BITCHES!"

He dashed forward like a streak of lightning, but Roman appeared again, blocking his path with a cross-shaped slash.

"Idiot! Have you taken their help?" Kael shouted, swinging furiously.

"Yes. They’re from our side," Roman replied coldly, deflecting the blow.

Kael’s eyes widened in horror. "Have you lost your damn mind?"

"They’re just some weaklings who know a few tricks," Roman scoffed.

"Tricks? My ass, you braindead bastard!" Kael growled, his face twisting in rage.

But before he could finish, the ground began to tremble violently. The corpses scattered across the field started leaking thick streams of blood that crawled back together, merging into a vast crimson formation.

A huge, glowing magic circle of blood appeared beneath them, pulsating like a beating heart.

Roman’s eyes widened, his expression turning pale. "Wait... what’s going on!?"

The chanting grew louder.

Then one of the cloaked men stepped forward and pulled down his hood.

Kael’s blood ran cold.

The figure’s face wasn’t human. There were no eyes, no ears, no nose—just raw flesh and a gaping mouth filled with jagged teeth.

The creature grinned, its bloody lips twisting unnaturally. "Kekeke... Demons and humans..."

"Thanks for setting the stage for us."

"Now," the creature raised its hands, forming a strange sign. "It’s time for the reward."

A blinding golden light erupted from above.

"Not in my presence!"

BOOOOOM!

A golden beam tore through the sky, crashing into the bloody circle. The ground shook violently as light and blood exploded together. Roosevelt appeared, his armor cracked, his sword blazing with divine radiance. He had arrived after defeating Selena, and his face was filled with grim determination.

But before he could take another step, a massive pillar of flame erupted from the circle. It roared like a beast, swallowing everything in its path.

Roosevelt’s eyes widened as the inferno engulfed him completely.

"Arghhhh!"

The flames wrapped around his body, hurling him downward like a meteor. He crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater as fire and smoke erupted into the sky.

Roosevelt’s body crashed into the ground with a heavy boom, shaking the earth and sending a cloud of dust into the air. The flames that had swallowed him slowly faded, revealing his battered figure. His armor was cracked and blood dripped from his lips, but his eyes still burned with fury.

He slammed his sword into the ground and pushed himself up, veins bulging across his arms as he shouted with all his strength.

"FUCK IT!"

His voice echoed like thunder, tearing through the chaos.

"REIN! IS THAT YOU?! COME OUT!"

The roar was so loud that even the ongoing battles paused for a moment. The lower-ranked soldiers froze, and even the SS-rank combatants who fought in the sky moved further away, fearing their clash might destroy everything below.

From the midst of the bloody mist and burning ruins, a calm voice answered.

A man stepped out slowly, walking with a gentle gait, his expression serene and his movements graceful as if the carnage around him didn’t exist. His long white coat fluttered with the wind, and his eyes shone with a strange calmness. A faint smile lingered on his face.

"Yes, brother," Rein said softly, tilting his head. "What happened?"

Roosevelt clenched his fists. "What the hell are you doing with them?"

Rein chuckled lightly, his smile never fading. "I’m just doing what I was tasked with," he said in a calm, almost soothing tone. Then he looked toward the sky, where fire and blood mixed into an unholy storm. "Demons and humans have fought for too long, brother. It’s time for both sides to rest... in peace."

Before Roosevelt could speak again, the air trembled. Rein raised his hand toward the blood-soaked ground, and the remains of the dead—human and demon alike—began to move. The battlefield that had once echoed with cries of war turned eerily silent.

The blood of thousands started flowing together, crawling like living veins toward the center of the field. A massive crimson circle took form, its lines glowing with symbols that pulsed like a heartbeat. The stench of death thickened, and the temperature dropped so low that even flames flickered weakly.

Then it happened.

A single drop of black, slimy liquid fell from above and hit the ground with a wet thud. The sound was soft but sent chills through everyone’s spine. The drop started expanding, bubbling and squirming as it grew.

Within seconds, it turned into a gigantic, pulsating mass of dark sludge. From that vile body, long, slimy tentacles shot out, writhing in all directions. Each one was covered in strange eyes that blinked erratically, oozing black fluid that hissed when it touched the ground.

The creature’s form was hideous—its body twisted and uneven, its mouth an abyss of teeth and wriggling flesh. The stench it released was unbearable, a mixture of rot and burning blood that made soldiers gag.

A dreadful laughter erupted, echoing from every direction.

"Hahahaha!"

One of the cloaked cultists raised his arms high, voice trembling with fanatic excitement.

"Behold! The mighty pet of our Lord!" he shouted.

"The Divine Monster Cthulhu!"

The monstrous creature lifted its head, and a horrific roar burst from its gaping mouth. The sound was so deep and violent that the sky itself seemed to split. The ground cracked apart, mountains trembled, and the air rippled like water.

Every living being felt it in their soul—the arrival of something that should never exist in this world.