From the end of the world

Chapter 794 VS Willow Shadow

I unleashed the full power of the Doomsday Seal, transforming into a dense fireball and moving at supersonic speed. This attack was powerful enough to shatter a real planet, yet I used it to strike Liu Shuying, this tiny humanoid target.

As the master of the Divine Seal of the Present World, Liu Shuying unleashed power surpassing mine. Gray mist surged forth from the Divine Seal of the Present World, transforming into an egg-shaped shield that enveloped Liu Shuying's entire body, firmly blocking my fiery attack.

The reason why the power of the Doomsday Seal was able to perfectly defend against his attack last time was because he did not focus on increasing the density of his power. If he had been serious, my shield might not have been able to be perfect. This time, my attack was specifically designed to increase the density, but it seems to have no effect on the shield formed by the Reality Seal.

It's not because I'm manipulating power far exceeding my own that I can't use it freely. In this respect, the Doomsday Divine Seal and Zhu Shi's Yama Sword are similar. The latter also far exceeds the user's power, yet it can still exert the density that the Great Impermanence should have. This is because the latter itself has the ability to respond to the user's will and increase its own power density.

If they could forge the Yama Sword, there's no reason why they couldn't do the Doomsday Seal, especially now that they have the Little Bowl as the "operating system" for the Doomsday Seal.

"Unfair to me? That's utter nonsense. While I don't mind if you have better conditions than me, do you really possess such a thing? Right now, you can't even break through my defenses." Liu Shuying said calmly, "The reason is simple: your ability as a user is inferior to mine."

"Although the power of the Divine Seal does not belong to the 'opening' system of the Mountain Yin and Yang, the higher one goes in power, the more they converge. Therefore, many principles are interconnected at very high levels."

"Real battles are rarely as simple as arm wrestling; otherwise, there would be no need for battle at all. We could just compare weightlifting skills to analyze the outcome of a real fight. Timing, location, and personnel; knowledge and experience; tactics and skills... too many variables can affect the result of a battle."

"However, the higher the level of power in a battle, the fewer variables can intervene. In battles capable of destroying planets, there is no room for favorable timing or terrain; with power capable of distorting and transcending even mathematical rules, knowledge and experience are completely useless. Skills are completely replaced by the ability to achieve one's desires directly, and numbers and tactics become meaningless."

"Now, the only variable that can determine our victory or defeat is the last one: pure 'strength'."

"Admittedly, the power of our own bodies is insignificant in the face of the power of the two divine seals. However, in the current situation, even a difference of only one millimeter in power between us is enough to become the decisive factor in determining the outcome of the battle."

“I will not dismiss your claim, for you have accomplished so many miracles so far. So please tell me… in this situation, what other variable could lead you to a conclusion contrary to mine?”

As he spoke, he seemed to want to switch from defense to offense, but I didn't give him that chance. Having already used all my strength, I further increased my power.

The shield formed by the gray mist suddenly cracked. Liu Shuying paused for a moment, then said, "...You've replicated the Old Fist God's special ability? But this ability shouldn't be usable on our own side..."

After the old Fist God died, the enhancement effect on me was removed, and I fell from a level that was on par with the old Fist God to my normal strength.

I can replicate any power I've ever possessed. Especially since the old Fist God's superpower, which was specifically used to enhance enemies and was utterly flawed in terms of combat ability, didn't involve true spiritual power, I had even less reason not to replicate it.

Although I'm not on the same path as the Old Fist God, and our underlying souls are quite different, I actually have a higher compatibility with him than with Asahi. "Adventurer" and "Battle Maniac" overlap to some extent, and there's no significant conflict in their core themes. I can even recreate the Power of Reversion, so this ability is naturally within my grasp. Furthermore, there's no time limit associated with using the Power of Reversion due to conflicts in our underlying souls; I can recreate it for as long as I want.

As Liu Shuying said, the ability itself cannot be used to enhance oneself. However, since I can reproduce the ability itself, the "effects exerted by the ability" are naturally also within the scope of reproduction. Moreover, I have personal experience of being affected by the effect.

This "temporarily enhanced state" can also be regarded as a "perpetual state," which is an element that can be included in one's normal combat strength.

Just as I expected, Liu Shuying didn't know much about "manifestations".

As a visitor from another world, Yama Ryougi's "reincarnation" was a legendary realm he had already attained before coming to this world, and his obsession with "manifestation" likely existed before his arrival as well. Therefore, similar to "opening the gate," the "legendary realm" is probably a concept outside of this world's cosmology.

Or to put it more precisely, even if the concept of legendary realms arose spontaneously within a particular world, it is most likely not a product exclusive to that world. I can sense a universality in it that far surpasses simply "opening a door." Perhaps the magical power generated within this worldview will mutate or weaken upon entering different worldviews, or even become unusable like upon entering a virtual realm, but legendary realms are likely a concept universally applicable across all worldviews, and their value is at least equivalent to opening the third door.

Since it wasn't a concept Liu Shuying created himself, he naturally wouldn't be familiar with it. Furthermore, unlike those great impermanent spirits who have lived for countless ages, he only has five years of experience. Even if he knew some knowledge related to spiritual manifestations, he couldn't make perfect predictions in the details.

“Now, our strength is equal,” I said.

Liu Shuying, however, maintained her composure and said in an appreciative tone, "Even in such dire circumstances, you do not give up and have even shown the possibility of overcoming difficulties... Zhuang Cheng, although Tai Sui thinks you are very similar to me and seems to regard you as my substitute, I must say that I am now proud to be similar to you."

"However, don't get too cocky. No matter how similar you are, you are destined to never surpass me, the real deal. I will prove to you that I am the one who will win in the end."

In the end, the power he was unleashing inexplicably increased, and the shield transformed into a shockwave that sent me flying. "Liu Shuying has gotten stronger?" Xiao Wan said with utmost seriousness. "He must have already gone all out, and the Divine Seal of the Real World was operating at full power... Could it be because he is the true master of the Divine Seal, thus able to unleash even greater power? No, could it be..."

Liu Shuying rushed towards this direction at high speed, and at the same time, as if she heard Xiaowan's voice in her mind, she took over the conversation, "--It's that 'Mo Fei'."

He hurtled towards me like a comet trailing a gray, misty tail, and I transformed into a fireball to meet him. In an instant, we collided thousands upon thousands of times, each strike possessing the power to shatter celestial bodies. Even in the vast vacuum of the universe, countless destructive shockwaves spread in all directions. The scattered meteorites of all sizes in the surrounding space were reduced to dust.

“Although I said at the beginning that this was a fair and just duel, after you reminded me just now, I seriously considered what advantages you could still offer. In the end, not only could I not find a single one, but I also found my own advantages,” Liu Shuying said. “It’s not that I can better exert the power of the World God Seal… I can do about the same as you in this aspect, so don’t worry.”

"However... the upper limit of our souls' growth is completely different."

“Zhuang Cheng, you’ve reached your limit, haven’t you? It’s not that you can’t get any stronger, but it will take a very long time to slowly grind it up. But I’m different. My growth limit doesn’t actually depend on the limit of my soul structure.”

“I know,” I said. “When you made your wish upon the complete divine seal, you gained an incredibly powerful magical talent for yourself; and in this new world you created with your wish, the more similar someone is to you, the more powerful their magical talent will be within this worldview. Conversely, those who are not like you will exhibit symptoms like the Tai Sui, where their magical talent is zero, or even potentially negative…”

"Judging from these two points, your growth ceiling should be the upper limit of this worldview."

"I was once similar to you, possessing immense potential from the very beginning, capable of unleashing my inner potential step by step under the pressure of life and death. And you must be the same; the more threatening I appear to you, the more power you will unleash."

"And now, you have entered a new stage of liberation."

Liu Shuying smiled and said, "Mostly correct, but there is one thing I need to correct. My potential power is far stronger than yours in the past, so it cannot be stored directly in my body, but is stored in every corner of this world."

"The more similar someone is to me, the more likely they are to achieve a fate that is almost like having their wishes fulfilled within this worldview. What makes this possible is my omnipresent potential. Zhuang Cheng, you must have received this kind of assistance in the past as well."

"Although I feel a little sorry for you, I will not give up this advantage. Just as you did not refuse the old boxing god's enhancement, I can also use every means at my disposal to win."

After he finished speaking, his strength increased again, and he attacked me once more, which I met head-on.

The attacks clashed with each other, and then, an unusual scene unfolded.

The willow shadow, which should have been even stronger, was actually repelled by me and sent far away.

This distance seems very far under normal circumstances, but to us it is only a step away; and in a normal battle with many variables, it is not uncommon for the weak to push the strong back by one step.

However, in battles at our level, strength and weakness are almost absolute. Even if one is only slightly weaker, the weaker should not be able to repel the stronger, not even by a single step.

This matter was so unbelievable that Liu Shuying was extremely shocked and didn't even immediately continue with any counterattack.

"...What did you do?" he asked, utterly bewildered.

This isn't the reaction someone like him would have when faced with something "unbelievable." He should have been more excited and thrilled.

I think he might have noticed the truth unconsciously.

Through this conflict, I finally confirmed my suspicions. The outcome of this battle was actually decided before it even began.

“It’s over, Willow Shadow,” I said to him. “You lost this battle.”

(End of this chapter)