This man, Andak, was the dream master of the fifth stage whom Alka had seen earlier near Kriel's dream.
He was Kriel's captain of guards, and besides ensuring Kriel's safety, he also occasionally attended events on her behalf. In certain situations, his presence could represent Kriel's will.
He was the only one of all who had earned Kriel's trust.
Jason, transformed into a crystal dragon, first unleashed a volley of crystal spikes, launching them at the enemy.
He leaped into the air, turned, and delivered a powerful sweep with his tail.
Urulius had recently become obsessed with the ritual-enhancing artifact, which had slightly enhanced the effects of the dragonification ritual.
This slightly strengthened the already simple ritual, successfully allowing Jason to grow a dragon's tail.
But the most important thing was the dragon wings that would allow Jason to fly freely. This was difficult to achieve for the time being, and could only be accomplished when he reached a certain level of strength.
This also allowed Jason and Pororo to undergo practical training with Urulius's tail.
With a sweep, his tail was covered with solid crystal spikes.
Red and green light intertwined and entwined his body, a power boost from Julia.
A melodious song emanated, the enchanting voice of Julia's mermaid, further strengthening the strength of Jason and the others present.
This, in turn, caused the enemy soldiers to retreat and lose their will to fight.
Combined with the enhancements granted by Urulius, Jason's power now became excessively powerful.
Another red light, projected from the spinning coin, hit his tail.
"Bang!"
Andak, eager to save his lord, simply wanted to sweep Jason away as quickly as possible.
The heavy tail hammer struck him.
The immense force collided, creating a sonic boom. The deafening noise instantly drowned out the singing.
Andak, charging straight ahead, was hammered to the ground by this blow. Several balls flew towards him, biting into his limbs.
"Ah, damn it! You damned traitors!"
A furious voice echoed from the smoke-filled ashes.
Andak's left arm, which had been used to block Jason's attack, was strangely bent, clearly completely broken.
What Jason couldn't understand was that Andak, a fifth-level warrior, seemed to display a fighting prowess that didn't match his abilities.
It was then that everyone noticed two horrific wounds on Andak's chest and side, from which blood continuously flowed.
This was a near-fatal injury, yet Andak had managed to rush here in this manner.
According to the original plan, Andak should have been at the festival.
Thanks to Baraz's efforts, he was supposed to be representing Kriel.
He had rushed here so hastily, and with such serious injuries, he must have encountered others along the way.
It must have been Vemink.
The entire operation was divided into three locations. In the center of the palace, Alka and the others would face Kriel directly.
Jason and the others would be in the hallway near the gate, preventing others from disturbing Alka and the others.
And Narmins, who was outside, was responsible for attracting attention and even drawing fire.
Aside from Alka's group, the others' responsibility was to detain more combat forces outside to prevent them from disrupting their battle.
Detaining as many people as possible was their goal.
"He's seriously wounded! Attack together!" Seeing the enemy's injuries, everyone rushed towards Andak without hesitation.
At this moment, Andak couldn't even break through their defenses; if he wasn't careful, he could even die.
Seizing this opportunity, the soldiers, who had been somewhat timid, seemed to have found their true strength.
One of the captains' eyes suddenly gleamed red.
"Brothers, for the king, for the general! Assist the captain of the guard in eliminating these rebels!"
His roar seemed to have a stirring power.
The soldiers' fear faded, and their faces grew excited.
But at that moment...
A huge gap suddenly appeared in the roof, and a massive figure flew in.
The light cast through the breach shone with a brilliant brilliance.
It was the Crystal Dragon that had been waiting outside for so long.
Ululius spun on the spot, raised its dragon head, and radiated its full dragon might, glaring at the soldiers with its enormous dragon eyes.
Ululius's size was no longer the same as it had been in its childhood.
Though exceptionally beautiful, its immense size still placed even greater pressure on the soldiers.
"Roar!"
With a fierce roar, a beam of light erupted from its mouth.
The soldier standing at the front, who had just given the speech, was instantly frozen in the crystal.
Ululius's tail swept in front of him, plowing a straight horizontal line.
Seeing this horizontal line, the already terrified soldiers immediately retreated.
They now had no intention of attacking. The fact that they were still standing and not fleeing was their only remaining loyalty.
Ululius turned to watch Jason and the others fight, and behind her appeared a number of puppet girls.
These puppet girls were also covered in blood, evidently having been busy outside.
Now, they were responsible for facing the soldiers, guarding against any mentally unstable individuals among them.
Several crystals shimmered on Ululius's back. A close observer with the ability to detect hidden dangers could reveal that only one of the crystal pillars was truly operating.
This crystal pillar was the artifact from the strengthening ritual previously given to her.
She opened her mouth and chanted a complex incantation, sounding remarkably discreet amidst Julia's singing and the roar of battle.
Ululius's eyes began to glow, as if she were performing some kind of ritual.
As the ritual progressed, the ten puppet girls responsible for the spells began to stand around Ululius, assisting in the process.
Despite possessing ritual-enhancing items, Ululius's strength, at only the fourth stage, remained considerable.
Even though she could leverage the powerful advantages of her race to display combat prowess beyond her current capabilities, it was still somewhat difficult for her to complete the ritual alone, especially a powerful one.
In such moments, the ten puppet girls specialized in spells would help her fill the gap in the number of people she needed.
At this stage, these ten puppet girls had essentially become Ululius's personal team.
They spent most of their time learning ritual knowledge from her.
As the battle progressed, Andak, dragging his severely injured body, was almost unable to fight.
The fact that he fought Alka and the others, despite being nearly unconscious from his injuries, indirectly demonstrated his strength.
Faced with Jason and the others' obstruction, he looked toward the palace interior, where loud noises continued to emanate from behind, his heart aching.
The more anxious he became, the harder it became for him to cross this threshold.
The loss of blood had already made his head spin.
But he couldn't calm down at all; he knew his situation.
With another collision, Andak hit the ground hard. He slid several meters away, coughing up blood violently, and the wounds on his body spilled blood all around him.
His armor was now tattered, and his weapons were even chipped. There was no intact part of him left.
"Andak, give up! Kriel will die here today.
Lay down your weapons here, and the new king will grant you innocence."
Baraz seized the opportunity to speak.
"Bah! You untamed wild dog! If it weren't for Lord Kriel, you would have been dead long ago."
Hearing this, Baraz sneered, "You're truly a foolishly loyal. Your powerful strength hasn't healed your damned brain at all.
Did he save me, or did I deliberately let him save me? Humph."
Andak, observing the situation, seemed to have made up his mind. Scarlet streaks began to spread from his neck, spreading across his face.
"It's the breath of the abyss!"
At this moment, Narmins trotted over from behind the crowd, his church armor stained with blood.
He also had some wounds, but they appeared to have been simply bandaged.
Visk still stood behind him, but his injuries were far too severe.
It was clearly he who had severely injured Andak, but his strength prevented him from leaving Andak behind.
It seemed that Narmins, who faced the least pressure, had resolved some of his problems.
He glanced at Baraz's questioning gaze.
Narmins nodded.
The loyalists had been eliminated, and the remaining nobles were now standing outside the palace, awaiting the final outcome.
Each faction had sent a number of men to follow Narmins.
They would help the forces behind him bear witness.
Of course, it was unknown which of the eliminated loyalists were truly loyal and which were merely forced to be loyal.
This was also a necessary exchange of interests.
A dazzling golden light shone.
Urulius's ritual was complete, and from outside, the entire palace was bathed in a brilliant light.
This brilliant light deliberately converged into a golden glow, piercing through layers of walls and raining down upon everyone.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Andak cried miserably, his face covered in soot.
The divine power from the world rapidly dissipated the abyssal aura that had invaded him.
He had only just been half-corrupted by the power of the abyss when this sudden surge of force neutralized it, and the abyss began to repel him.
He could feel the abyssal power withdrawing, taking away his spiritual strength along with it, causing him to collapse helplessly to the ground.
He closed his eyes as he stared at the door behind Jason and the others.
Those who had followed also witnessed this scene firsthand.
Was it Creel who had come into contact with this forbidden power?
Or was it Andak's own actions?
The difference between the two would determine how smoothly Narmins boarded the plane.
...
Once again, a loud bang echoed from the battlefield inside.
This time, Kriel slammed heavily against the wall, collapsing to the floor.
A vast vine entwined itself around him, completely binding him.
He was no longer far from failure or death; the combination of the two seemed imminent.
"Ahem, I never thought I'd fall here."
When Alka's strength reached the fifth stage during the battle, Kriel knew his chances of victory were slim.
He had forged a grudge he shouldn't have.
Though he appeared indifferent, deep down, he was already regretting it.
What kind of people were these people like Alka?
He simply couldn't comprehend the consequences of bringing so many treasures together in one group.
Kriel's body was now covered in scars of all sizes.
Although Alka and the others also bore some wounds, they had recovered considerably thanks to the treatment with fine needles.
Kriel stared at the giant cocoon wrapped in vines.
It was too late to understand now.
"Ding-ling-ling!"
A bell suddenly rang out, coming from the direction of the imprisoned Kriel.
A black and red bell suddenly appeared in his hand.
It emanated an unpleasant, evil aura.
Alka blinked violently, observing the evil aura and sensing a strange familiarity.
Instantly, a vast amount of pink mist surged in like a tsunami, filling the entire space. Without Kriel's obstruction, the flow was remarkably smooth.
Alka's figure appeared directly beside Kriel, and a large amount of pink mist instantly enveloped him.
Kriel reacted instantly, piercing his chest with a hand.
The hand was no longer humanoid, but a sharp, thick, crimson demonic claw covered in bizarre spikes.
Alka's chest was pierced. This time, he had indeed struck a physical entity. However, it was a clone of Alka that was taking the damage.
Then, Alka retreated as if refreshed.
He vanished from the spot.
"Another little trick!" Two voices mingled.
Now, the men stood together again, staring warily.
"Is this the deal you were talking about?" Kriel's voice came through clearly.
He was answered by the crimson gas floating behind him, forming a demonic figure.
"While I enjoy using demonic methods to negotiate with mortals, sometimes I still advise against using demonic methods to achieve my goals.
Didn't I tell you? I'm violent and cunning."
The scarlet figure said with a smile.
"So your original goal was for him?" Kriel said, staring at Alka.
He hadn't rang the bell just now; it had appeared in his hand, forcing him to shake it.
Why, taking advantage of his moment of weakness, had appeared at this moment? It was self-evident.
"A rare moment of cleverness. What a shame! Go to hell with your extraordinary ambitions, you rubbish."
The scarlet demon figure laughed impudently at him, then completely burrowed into Kriel's body.
Kriel's expression was one of relief, yet also of immense resentment.
But it all seemed meaningless.
His body began to fully transform into a demon. Horns sprouted from his head, and a pair of enormous demonic bat wings spread out from his back.
Crimson skin began to cover his body.
He gradually transformed into a demonic form, a familiar one.
"Arka, hahahaha, we meet again, as I told you."
The fully demonized Kriel stared at Arka with a savage grin.
Arka and the others had already figured out who this demon was: the Devouring Mouth, whom they had recently dealt with.
"I've missed you so much lately. I miss slicing your flesh with my blade, clawing out your heart with my claws, and ripping your flesh apart.
I've taken your soul, made it into coins, made it into dolls, and roasted them in the flames of the abyss.
Oh, I miss you so much."
The Devouring Mouth kept talking, even gritting his teeth. One could hear the hatred for Alka in his voice.
Услышав это, Алька невольно рассмеялась: «За что ты меня так ненавидишь?
"You bumped into me yourself, didn't I set you up? You're just stupid."
"I'm stupid?" Devouring Mouth retorted, but then fell silent.
Just as Nightmare had said, he had truly spread the news of Devouring Mouth's previous failure and his clownish behavior throughout the entire circle.
And it was a complete, 360-degree video with no blind spots.
Everyone who watched it felt as if they were actually there.
Through the constant free distribution within the dream world, Nightmare made a rare effort, but it wasn't for Nightmare.
This evil god of dreams had an innate advantage in publicity.
This made known to everyone who knew and was familiar with Devouring Mouth.
Alka himself didn't realize that he had become a well-known figure in certain circles. It's already famous.
The Devouring Mouth naturally enjoys using words to provoke his enemies, and each of his actions is physically and mentally repulsive, whether they're foes or allies.
However, due to his own strength and ideas, he's never suffered such a defeat, save for his defeat and death during the God War.
Since his special means were revived, he hasn't suffered such a defeat again.
Everyone is willing to use their words to add insult to injury, mocking this demon every time they see him.
This has made the Devouring Mouth's days feel like years, giving him a true understanding of the mortal world's perception of time.
It has also heightened his hatred for Alka.
"For you, I've been planning this for a long time. I even sacrificed a little bit of my soul, ready to kill you myself and taste your blood."
"I can see that," Alka nodded. "I can see you're pressed for time, and your planning isn't very good. There's a raw, impatience about you, and it's full of loopholes." "
Alka had already been thoroughly offended by this demon, so he cursed him with every possible outburst.
He spared no effort in hurling all sorts of sarcastic remarks at him.
"Heh, just keep your mouth open and talk. This time, nothing will be enough for you to handle me."
The Devouring Mouth spoke as he took over Creel's body, simultaneously boosting his power to the sixth stage once again.
Although this body was gradually crumbling, it was enough for him to kill Alka alone, and he only wanted to kill Alka.
He desired no torture at all; he simply wanted this man to die before him.
At that moment, a brilliant beam of light suddenly shone through the ceiling.
"Ahhh! "
A large amount of smoke billowed from the Devourer's Mouth, causing him to scream.
As if noticing something was amiss, he immediately rushed forward, ready to finish Alka off.
Perfectly reversing the verbal humiliation he had used before his success.
"Devil!"
The door had already opened, and Jason and his companions, including Narmins, rushed in.
Looking at the Devourer's Mouth, Narmins roared angrily.
"Devourer's Mouth, you damned bastard!" "
Evidently, Narmins also recognized the Devouring Mouth.
At this moment, the Devouring Mouth completely disregarded anyone, relying on its immense strength to charge towards Alka.
He used Kriel's treasure to generate a powerful pressure, even more powerful than his own.
The widespread pressure pinned everyone to the spot.
Some of those following Narmins even knelt on the ground, their heads tilted, unable to move.
As a sixth-level cultivator, the effects of his treasure were far greater than Kriel's.
Alka's men were still able to stand, but the heavy pressure made it difficult for them to move.
Everyone A lamb to be slaughtered.
By this time, the Devouring Mouth's body was already showing numerous burn marks, and smoke continued to rise.
The light pouring down from the sky inflicted immense damage on him.
The powerful light from the world repelled him, madly burning things that did not belong to this world.
The full force he exerted was causing his body to collapse even faster.
Time was running out for him.
But it was enough.
Alka was pinned to the spot, long enough for him to finish off the damned fellow before his own death.
He even had time to take his soul and slowly torture it later.