Clockwork Bride

Hayden roared,

"You'll really die after casting this spell!"

“My connection with this land is even stronger, and only I can be the spiritual core of [Mara].

But Alastor remained calm.

"If you really want to defeat the gods, don't worry about such trivial matters."

Damn it.

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The literal meaning of being unable to support herself with just one arm meant that Angela could only struggle to hold her own against the Vajra Warriors. Ironically, it was precisely because her left arm was severed by lightning that the circulating fluids and gases from her body spilled onto the ground, causing the earth to burst into life and even sprout branches and vines, trying to hold onto the legs of the four Vajra Gods.

However, even the resentment of the local land could not hold back these Vajra warriors. What could these newly awakened plants do? They would only be trampled and crushed by these gods without hesitation.

Seeing this, Angela couldn't help but sigh.

However, taking advantage of this opportunity, a Vajra warrior with a missing arm rammed into Angela from behind. Even without his vajra, and with only one hand missing, such a physical impact still possessed a power greater than that of a high-speed train, causing Angela to lose her balance for a moment. But she turned that staggering moment into a spin, reaching out and gently patting the Vajra warrior's armor.

His power armor instantly transformed into a giant dove, which began pecking at the bodies of the gods. Fortunately, two other Vajra warriors who had just arrived as reinforcements quickly struck it down with their vajras. The dead giant dove immediately turned into fragments of the power armor, which scattered on the ground.

Taking advantage of the situation, she picked up a fallen leaf, blew on it, and it transformed into a sharp leaf sword, which she swung at another Vajra Warrior. However, as mentioned before, Angela lacked combat skills and was simply wielding the sword like an amateur. Of course, she couldn't defeat these most professional warriors and was quickly surrounded and attacked by two Vajra Warriors wielding vajras, shattering the leaf sword.

Angela has many tricks up her sleeve, and they are all incredibly clever, but even with all that, she still has no chance of winning against the four War Gods.

However, the Vajra Warriors dared not underestimate her. Even though Angela possessed agility but lacked strength and skill, her incredible tricks still made the Vajra Warriors extremely wary and focused. They wouldn't be foolish enough to let their seemingly assured victory slip away.

Up until this point, the four Vajras had paid almost no attention to Hayden and the other [Bojun] students' actions. The gods had been slightly concerned about Alastor's movements, as he could indeed pose a slight threat, but they weren't too distracted; after all, Angela was too strange, a much larger and more obvious enemy. They might be fighting fairly well, but two had already lost arms, and one was even dead. The Vajras were fearless, but none of them truly wanted to die.

Therefore, it would be an exaggeration to say that these Vajra Warriors forgot about Hayden and the students because they were too weak. To put it more politely, Hayden and the other students didn't seem like they could currently influence the battle, so they weren't worth the effort to focus on. In comparison, allocating more attention to Angela would be more reasonable.

Even if you can spend an entire day thinking about every second of a battle, if you never look back at the corners outside the battlefield, then no matter how much time you have to think, there are some things you won't notice before they happen.

...So, when the Vajra Warriors' divine eyes alerted them to a strange energy reaction in the corner, something had already happened.

In an instant, with a loud boom, the Vajra Warriors felt an impact beneath their feet, as if the entire underground sewer was shaking. The surrounding polluted air suddenly became as fresh as a garden in the morning.

They immediately looked over with their third eye, without actually turning around, just by allocating some mental attention—and then they saw it.

In a corner of the warehouse ruins, the remaining ten or sober students knelt and prostrated themselves around Alastor on the black lotus platform, chanting: "Svaha Om, Vira Vira Chan, Vira Chan Kui, Svaha!"

And Hayden? He cut his left hand, drew a circle with his blood around Alastor's black lotus throne, and with his right hand, he held a bottle of emerald green potion and drew a second circle outside the blood.

"Accept my blood and breath, dying cow!"

While doing strange things, Hayden was also chanting loudly, like a priest of some bizarre cult.

"Look at him! Look at the child you have borne! I heal your wounds, offer sacrifices, and honor him as a god!"

But in comparison, the most bizarre thing now is Alastor, who sits on the black lotus throne.

"I am the thunder that cuts through the night, I am the rain that nourishes the earth."

"I am the breeze that sweeps across the valley, and the breath that sustains life."

"I am a cloud rising from the dust, eventually transforming into the morning star in the sky."

Alastor, seated cross-legged on a black lotus platform, was also chanting a long incantation.

As he continued chanting, blood gushed from his eyes and the corners of his mouth. The chanting lacked any sense of tension, but his excessive "confidence" and "calmness" were all the more terrifying, making it seem as if he was deepening his own pain.

As he chanted, Alastor bled, and his withered body continued to change, shifting like a distorted shadow.

What kind of magic is this?

Regardless, this was definitely some kind of ritual magic, and a high-level ritual magic at that, one that utilized the energy of the earth's veins. The Vajra Warriors immediately judged that the ritual needed to be interrupted—however, Angela blinked and instantly floated between the two sides, blocking their path.

So Hayden seized the opportunity to chant the most crucial incantation:

"Look at him! Mother of the earth! Swallow him up and give him a second life!"

Everyone present felt it now—students and gods alike—a will was surging forth from the ground. A stinging sensation began to fill the air; something was growing stronger and stronger.

—Until a black thing sprang out from underground and swallowed Alastor whole.

"Aa ...

The students screamed in fright.

But it doesn't matter if you scream now.

Because that black thing had opened its eyes, its red pupils burning with a boiling intensity yet utterly cold.

It was a pitch-black, filthy dragon-snake.

That was Alastor, who was reborn from the earth and water after pouring his soul and life into the dragon vein, and was determined to take revenge on the gods.

"Look! Nothing can stop him now!"

Hayden brandished his scepter, proclaiming like a fanatical cultist.

"His divinity transcends all mortal life!"

Even the Vajra Warriors couldn't help but feel slightly surprised when they saw it—because the power surging within this dragon and snake was undoubtedly no less than any of theirs.

……Um?

So, does that mean we have enough fighting power to defeat four Vajra Warriors?

That's obviously not right, is it?

Even the dragon veins of an entire city have been severely polluted and damaged. The remaining remnants of power are only at the level of a mere Vajra Warrior. How could they possibly reverse the current situation?

If that's the case, why did Hayden and Alastor still need to perform such ritual magic?

The answer is actually very simple.

"That's it, I understand!"

Angela nodded admiringly.

"As expected of my proud master!"

Then she gently blew a breath toward the filthy, dark dragon-snake.

All the filth and all the pain were blown away as lightly as dust by this gentle breath.

Only the white dragon, emerging from its cocoon, rushed towards its enemies.

054: Expecting Death

Hayden often referred to himself as a wizard, and many people did as well.

But what exactly is this so-called "witchcraft"?

Of course, they weren't born with superhuman physical strength. That's just fiction; it shouldn't be taken seriously.

In fact, the word "witch" refers to a profession that uses wisdom and ingenuity to communicate with heaven, earth, and gods.

Hmm? Communicating with heaven, earth, and the gods—shouldn't that be the job of the priestly class?

So this issue is actually a class issue—priests generally act as intermediaries between gods and humans through their recognized status.

Most sorcerers are unofficial practitioners who use their skills to cast spells and communicate with different spirits. While there are exceptions, this is the majority of the case.

Hayden was no exception.

The very essence of this abandoned industrial zone, its waters, winds, and land, has been deeply wounded by the Mitra Corporation. Both the earth's veins and its very spirit have been scarred, and thus, have lost their courage.

So Hayden gave them courage!

...Is courage so easily given?

It really is that easy to give.

Paracelsus, the renowned 16th-century alchemist, one of the founders of modern alchemy, and a figure featured in numerous literary works, once wrote that the four elemental spirits that inhabit and construct the material world are foolish and easily manipulated by humans. Controlling them is far easier than manipulating demons or gods.

Elements are reflections of the natural world. Flames burn fiercely in the Earth's core, flickering or extinguishing within the soil. Water nourishes the parched earth, making it more supple and resilient. And all of this is enveloped by the atmosphere, which brings life to the world.

Then,

Did Hayden have courage? Yes! Did Alastor have courage? Of course! Even the remaining students, though they might seem more like fools, certainly weren't lacking in courage.

So Hayden used ritual magic to gather this courage, concentrating it within Alastor's soul, and then had the earth swallow it, using this courage to replenish the courage of the spirit of nature. This is why Alastor had previously said that this ritual magic must be centered on him. Because only Alastor could gather the courage and devotion of these [Bojun] students. Only his soul could carry these thoughts into the earth.

Ultimately, he was reborn as a dragon god who manifested the power of the earth's veins.

But the damaged and weakened dragon vein is not enough to defeat the four warrior gods, so... why not just heal it?

So now this white dragon is as clear as the groundwater that has just been purified by Angela's breath, looking pure and beautiful.

Yet, this beautiful creature also glared angrily, its tongue lolling out, soaring through the clouds, stirring up towering waves, displaying the magnificent and furious power of nature, and crashing down upon the Vajrapani gods.

Fortunately, the strongest soldiers did not hesitate or fear. The two Vajra Warriors who had just descended raised their Vajra pestles and unleashed two bolts of divine thunder at the falling white dragon—but the white dragon swayed in the wind in mid-air and transformed into clouds filling the sky!

Dragons are clouds, clouds are water, and dragons are also the continuous, undulating veins of the earth. Therefore, dragons are gods, the earth gods of water, wind, and soil. Their divine power is freely transformative and capable of accomplishing anything.

But didn't Hayden just pull a similar trick? How come he got slapped in the face when he transformed into the wind to dodge the lightning?

The answer is simple. All those theories about using softness to overcome hardness, or hardness to control softness, ultimately come down to the difference in strength. Hayden's raw power is far too weak compared to the gods. However, this purified and healed dragon vein couldn't possibly be weaker than two Vajrapani gods; it would require at least two more teams.

If this dragon vein was so weak back then, why would the Mitra Group spend money to build an industrial zone on it?

Now, having received the courage of mortals and the healing power of pure life, it regained its full strength. The dragon transformed into clouds, the clouds into water, and the Water God's Sword slashed through, piercing the chest of a Vajra warrior. The warrior, whose weapon had been blown off and armor ripped away, could not withstand the attack; a hole the size of a human head ripped into his chest, and he collapsed.

However, the armor of the other three Vajra Gods remained intact, and even the ever-changing Water God could not easily penetrate it. The two vajras exploded with a series of thunderous roars, striking a corner of the cloud-like form of the white dragon, and even burning away some of its spiritual power. The white dragon transformed again, thrusting out a series of sharp blades filled with icy killing intent, but they could not pierce the full-body armor forged by the gods.

So the Dragon God changed its tactics. It erected a towering wall of water, unleashing colossal waves capable of shattering everything. Groundwater gushed from the depths of the earth, erupting like a volcano, blotting out the stars and even momentarily obscuring the vision of the gods!

Even the deputy director, Dhritarashtra, who had been observing the scene from inside the branch office building, couldn't help but change color slightly at this moment.

Amidst the power displayed by this natural dragon vein, the breathtaking changes in water and wind, and watching helplessly as a towering wall of water crashes down upon them, even the fearless Vajra Warriors couldn't possibly look too pleased. After all, they were merely warrior gods, not true celestial beings. They were just heavenly soldiers, not those renowned divine generals.

How about we quickly use lightning speed to get out of the attack range?

No.

Grass stalks and vines had silently sprouted from behind them, binding their legs and feet. Just like the [Heavenly Demon - Retreat Cannon] earlier, the earth's resentment had ensnared them. Not only that, these vines were growing rapidly—stealing divine power from them as they grew! Growing larger! Growing heavier! This resentment was so powerful that even lightning's divine feet could not escape it!

Everything is karma.

"Return to your fate!"

Therefore, the Protoss warriors, who had never spoken since their appearance, finally opened their mouths.

"Mithra (maitreya), svaha (achievement)!"

They roared battle cries, chanted mantras, and unleashed all their divine power. Their eyes blazed with light like a supernova explosion, their incantations resonating, overflowing with divine might. The three Vajra Warriors combined all their divine power, condensing it into a bolt of lightning that pierced the heavens and earth, radiating heat and sparks, tearing through the sky and striking the colossal wave that was the white dragon's incarnation. The heated, expanding atmosphere roared, shaking the night sky, releasing energy powerful enough to tear the earth apart and reduce everything around them to scorched earth.

Hayden saw all of this and immediately urged the students to chant the incantation to provide support: "啅抧吒吒罗啅抧, 鲁呵厘, 摩诃鲁哈厘, 阿罗, 齊罗, 多罗, 莎呵."

The same system of incantations, the same ancient language, but their meanings were completely different. Watching the white dragon, reborn from Alastor, suppress the Vajra Warriors, the students' courage only grew! A thick wall of water obscured the night sky, and suddenly a gale arose, followed by a torrential downpour. Hayden had never seen such heavy rain in his life, let alone acid rain or polluted toxic substances; it was truly clear groundwater, like a celestial river flowing backwards.

Finally, the final blows collided.

The night sky split open.

The atmosphere is shaking.

With a deafening roar that shook the earth, unimaginable, vast energy spread out, and a violent light erupted from the point of collision of divine power, so intense that Hayden had to shield his eyes from the heat. The violent shockwave sent several students who had barely managed to hold on flying, knocking them unconscious to the ground.

Normally, Hayden would try his best to help these kids, but right now he's really in dire straits.

When the bright light faded and the shock subsided, Hayden quickly looked closely and finally saw...

The last three Vajrapani gods fell.

Born of cause and effect, die of karma. After all, they were merely gods, not true celestial beings. To expect them to evaporate the giant wave with a single blow was truly asking too much of a god.

The scattered mist reformed into the shape of a white dragon before their corpses, roaring to the sky.

The earth god, reborn from its cocoon, has triumphed.

Although it only killed four War Gods, it did indeed avenge the Mithra Group!

That being said, at this moment, Hayden could clearly see that the white dragon's body, formed from clouds and mist, had already been mostly burned away and destroyed by the lightning. While winning the victory, it had also been severely injured.

"A respectable battle."

Angela stood protectively in front of Hayden, and made a rare comment. She seldom commented on matters of battle.

Hayden could understand the respect in Angela's tone. It's just a pity that now is not a good time for sentimentality.

"We finally crushed the Vajra God's tactical team, which is really great. Although the company can send more at any time, it will still take some time, and they will probably have a meeting."