Chapter 392

-Thud.

Flesh falls away. The muscles revealed within had all been burned, and what remained was only a pure white, smooth skull.

That skull burns as one with the yellow flames. If it were truly the power of the Sun Ring, it should have burned everything down to the bones, but the fact that it didn't meant...

'That bastard has adapted to the power of the Sun Ring.'

Of course, looking at that wretched state and calling it adaptation would be laughable.

But the important fact was that his existence hadn't been annihilated and remained in at least some minimal form. Even the Ethereal entity had disappeared like burning embers, consuming all of its own Sun Ring at the end. But Phillis did not.

'No. It would be strange to call that thing Phillis now.'

He didn't know the detailed circumstances of what had happened to that bastard, but just from those constantly changing expressions, it was easy to guess that something had occurred.

'It happened after he said he would tell where the Cardinal was. That's Zaxilos' handiwork. He did that to silence him.'

There was no need to question how the power of the Sun Ring was injected remotely from such a distance. Space eroded by outer gods operates under completely different physical laws.

Right now, Phillis had also interfered with space to shoot invisible waves. There was no reason why Zaxilos, who was of a higher rank, couldn't do the same.

Whatever the case, the most important thing now was that Phillis had been reborn as an experimental subject imbued with the power of the Sun Ring.

If it had been other bastards, they wouldn't have been able to contain all the power of the Sun Ring and would have turned to ash and disappeared, but Phillis was different. Considering that his claims weren't bluster but fact, this was the qualification that Red Eternity had selected for the next Pope.

That bastard has an exceptional vessel. That's why he can endure like that even while containing the power of the Sun Ring.

-Whoosh!

Osian frowned inside his helmet.

'Is it because he contains my power in an archbishop's vessel? The output is extraordinary.'

In terms of vessel size alone, it was much larger than the Ethereal plant he had fought before. So in other words, the Phillis before his eyes now was stronger than the Ethereal plant.

Originally, from the moment one reached the archbishop level of the Eternal Church, they were worthy of being called boss monsters even in the game, and now this mutation had occurred on top of that.

Osian smiled at a certain sensation he felt for the first time in a very long while.

Right. Somehow everything had seemed too easy up until now. There should be hardships and adversity of this degree - otherwise, there wouldn't be any proper satisfaction in breaking through, would there?

Dazzling light flashes before his eyes. He realized that these were the golden sun heat rays that Phillis was firing in succession.

It was difficult to grasp the attack range and direction through sight. His entire field of vision was dyed with yellow light, making it impossible to distinguish. So Osian entrusted his body to intuition.

Time seemed to slow down, and within that, Osian threw his body toward the safest place according to his senses.

Immediately after, yellow rays fired successively as if filling the entire space. Each one had a thickness reminiscent of temple pillars, and their firepower goes without saying.

Osian emerged unscathed from that hellish barrage of solar rays. He had found gaps that existed only for the briefest instants, then inserted his sword to pry them open and create a path. His skin was burning hot, but this was getting off very cheaply.

Regardless, Phillis' attacks continued without stopping. Gone was the amateur-like attitude of someone completely inexperienced in combat that he had shown before.

Without any surprise, seeing Osian, he had only the simple purpose of killing him. That machine-like behavior felt even more eerie.

-Tssssssk!

The area around Phillis was full of heat. The ground had burned beyond burning and began to bubble and melt. It was truly a furnace made of solar heat.

Within that, Phillis casually fired rays.

-Whoooong!

A golden sun heat ray that had flown right up to Osian suddenly collided with a golden shield that appeared.

The golden shield couldn't withstand the heat of the Sun Ring and quickly melted, but it still succeeded in deflecting the direction of the golden sun heat ray.

"Brother! I'll help too!"

It was Martinez's support.

Osian didn't answer but he also didn't tell him to back away. At that silent consent, Martinez created a huge cross.

Then he grabbed the end of it and threw it with all his might, putting centrifugal force into it. Seeing the huge cross flying while spinning fiercely, Phillis extended his other hand.

-Pwhooooosh!

A thicker and more intense heat ray shot out. The cross that had flown like a boomerang was swallowed by the heat ray and disappeared without a trace.

Phillis' head turned toward Martinez. It was a reflexive response to a new enemy appearing.

Targeting that momentary gap, Osian approached right up to him.

The moment he was about to swing his sword, Phillis raised his right arm vertically. It looked reflexive enough to be an action to block the sword.

-Clang!

The Starlight Sword couldn't completely cut through Phillis' arm because the Sun Ring was burning above the gaunt bones revealed beneath the vestments. The outward appearance was all gaunt bones, but what composed that bastard's body was the most powerful 'protection' force in the world.

"Well now. It's my own power, but it's damn hard."

His feelings were complex enough that he didn't know whether to take pride in this or be annoyed.

Phillis' gaze turned toward Osian again. That bastard's eye light seemed stronger than before. No, it wasn't his imagination.

Osian lowered his body as if lying flat on the ground. Immediately after, two thin streams of heat rays grazed past where his head had been.

It was the eye light that had burst from Phillis' eyes.

"Shooting beams from your eyes? Even I can't do that."

Regardless, Phillis' head turned to the side. The eye light fiercely chased after Osian as Osian tried to avoid Phillis' attacks as much as possible by dodging to the side.

The power of the Sun Ring made it impossible to even conceive of blocking or deflecting it. Even with a knight's body, protective coating, and Starlight Armor, it was the same.

Even just grazing it would melt the Starlight Armor. Just blocking the heat waves surging around was overwhelming enough.

Then, following the trajectory of Osian's running, golden stakes fell from the air and were driven in with thuds. They created a barrier between Osian and Phillis, managing to block that intense eye light for a moment.

--Swish!

Sharp tentacles burst out from the ceiling and violently strangled Phillis' head. The tentacles twisted like pretzels squeezed as if they would grind Phillis’ skull directly, but it was useless.

-Zzzzzing. Whoong!

As golden light passed once, twice, three times from the inside, the tentacles were cut into pieces and fell with thuds.

No sooner had that happened than the floor rippled like liquid, and a giant anglerfish burst out and swallowed Phillis' entire body in one bite.

-Kwaang!

But the anglerfish's head exploded and Phillis walked out unharmed.

"What the hell! What is that thing!"

"It's, it's too strong!"

The Slithering Sisters were horrified at the sight of Phillis not even flinching at their confident surprise attack. At the appearance of new obstacles, Phillis' hostility turned in all directions.

Phillis raised his hand and a small sphere rose above his palm.

The sphere left his hand and soared high into the air. Then the energy contained within vibrated magnificently and was fiercely discharged outward.

-Zzzzzing!

Golden sun heat rays shot in all directions. At the terrifying baptism of light reminiscent of a mirror ball, the sisters Krua and Attila were appalled.

"Young ladies. This isn't the time to be concerned about such things!"

At that moment, Basilio gathered the red crystals into one to create a huge shield and stood as if protecting the two in front.

-Zzzzzing.

The heat rays swept across the shield several times. Each time, Basilio had to barely endure what threatened to overwhelm him.

'What kind of power is this!'

The power that Basilio wielded ultimately originated from Red Eternity. On the other hand, the power that Phillis wielded was the Sun Ring that knights use.

For Basilio, it had to be the worst possible matchup and the same was true for the Slithering Sisters.

Within the brilliant spotlight of the sun, Osian and Martinez moved simultaneously.

Without anyone going first, the two scattered left and right and rapidly closed the distance toward Phillis.

Phillis spread both arms wide while floating a sphere of sun in the air.

The light of the halo floating above his head grew stronger, then became countless sharp thorns that scattered in all directions.

-Swoosh swoosh swoosh!

Like a soaked dog shaking its body to splash water in all directions, the energy of the Sun Ring came flying. Each of the indiscriminately fired attacks in all directions was a threatening assault.

Attacks that would make entire body parts evaporate as if carved out just by touching them - within such attacks, Osian and Martinez advanced without stopping.

A knight and a paladin. One who had reached the pinnacle position in each field, and one who had the qualifications to do so.

The two tried to reach right up to Phillis while somehow deflecting or avoiding attacks even within that hellish swarm of light.

Phillis instinctively realized that attacking enemies on both sides simultaneously would not be easy. He had to choose one of the two. It was right to intensively check the most dangerous enemy if given distance.

And naturally, there was only one choice.

Kwaaaaaaaah!!!

A golden wave surged toward Osian. Osian immediately pulled out a shield from his bracelet, then lowered his body while wrapping himself in the energy of Starlight and Moonlight.

-Kwaaaah!

Osian's body was gradually pushed back by the power of the Sun Ring. He was enduring with the power of Starlight and Moonlight, but if this power struggle continued like this, it would become dangerous.

The one who moved at that moment was Martinez.

Having already approached right up to Phillis, sacred alchemy formed in his right hand, creating a brilliant great sword. The great sword swung in a half-moon arc struck Phillis' neck hard.

-Kwang!

But Phillis' thin neck bones were protected by the power of the Sun Ring and remained intact.

Still, there was an impact. Due to the mass of the great sword, Phillis' head shook greatly, and because of that, he lost his sense of balance.

Phillis tried to raise his remaining left arm to counterattack, but that hand aimed in the wrong direction and shot a golden sun heat ray at the ceiling. The ray that extended in a straight line grazed past the flesh ceiling.

'I can't stop here!'

Martinez gritted his teeth and swung the great sword several more times. This was a barely created opportunity. If he retreated here, who knew when such an opportunity would come again. Swing it. Squeeze out everything.

-Kwang! Bang! Bang!

As the great sword struck several times, even that solid Sun Ring defense began to crack.

"...!"

Phillis gave up attacking and instead raised his left arm vertically to block the great sword. The moment Martinez gritted his teeth and entered into a power struggle.

Countless red lines that flew from somewhere pushed the rear of the great sword, adding acceleration.

-Crack!

Phillis' arm was pushed back as if breaking. Those burning eye lights glared at the unwelcome guest.

"What are you glaring at like that?"

Basilio mocked Phillis. The moment Phillis tried to move, tentacles burst out from the floor and grabbed his two legs. Due to the flames of the Sun Ring, the tentacles quickly burned up, but they regenerated at an even faster rate, holding him so he couldn't escape.

The power of the Sun Ring burning from Phillis' body grew even stronger. Martinez, who was at close range, was also affected by it. His skin was scorched and burned by the flames, revealing muscle.

But he was a paladin. And a paladin born with exceptional talent. His burning eyes, skin, and muscles regenerated as if time was rewinding when sacred power was added.

Did that wound his pride? Phillis concentrated his firepower on Martinez. Martinez's body, which had been in a power struggle with the great sword, was gradually pushed back. Martinez, who was gritting his teeth, exhaled and shouted.

"Now!"

At that moment, Osian charged forward holding his shield, cutting through the breath of the sun. He had exploited the momentary carelessness created when Phillis concentrated on Martinez.

Phillis tried to block Osian belatedly, but it wasn't easy due to interference. More than anything, it was far too late for that.

What Phillis saw when he turned his head was the Starlight Sword rushing toward him.