Chapter 443: Chapter 443: Demigod’s Criteria
Chapter 443: Demigod’s Criteria
As everyone stood in shock, the Blood Leech’s cocoon, drenched in blood and suspended in mid-air, endured a catastrophic assault.
Its Gluttonous Blood Cocoon was its signature technique.
Capable of absorbing attacks to sustain and reinforce the cocoon, this was its most potent defensive skill, now used for only the second time.
However, this technique seemed ineffective against Nozomi’s onslaught.
The massive blood cocoon was pierced by golden beams of light.
"Hiss..." the Blood Leech hissed in agony.
Feeling the beams bombard its body, it writhed in unbearable pain, unable to suppress its cries.
While screaming, it adjusted its form, maneuvering to evade further strikes.
Simultaneously, it unleashed a surge of magical power, pushing its defenses beyond their limits.
The vivid blood-red light was overwhelmed by an endless cascade of golden radiance.
In the sky, countless beams streaked across the heavens.
The Mink Tribe of the Mokomo Dukedom, atop Zunesha, paused their tasks and gazed at the golden sky and the beams piercing upward.
Their faces reflected disbelief.
"What is that?" one exclaimed.
"The sky has turned golden!" another said.
Beside a building in the Whale Forest, Duke Hitsugisukan stood, stroking his beard as he observed the astonishing spectacle in the sky.
His expression grew solemn.
"Is this the legendary crown hunter Flower Queen in action?"
Witnessing the earth-shattering scene, Duke Hitsugisukan sighed and said, "This world is becoming harder to comprehend. Perhaps I am old, or perhaps Shinko was right."
On the other side, roughly ten kilometers from the Blood Leech’s battle, a boat cloaked in mist sailed across the sea.
Its speed far surpassed that of ordinary vessels, as if gliding over the waves.
Two figures stood on the deck, gazing at the golden light in the sky.
Then they turned their attention to the massive creature nearby.
"Has the human Flower Queen made her move?"
"Speed up!"
"The Demon King of Gluttony is recently born. it cannot be slain by humans like this."
The figure, with a volcanic head, one eye, and brown skin, spoke abruptly.
"Yes, Apostle-sama." a voice replied immediately.
"Zhurong, you still care so much for your kind!" the other figure said.
"If you ask me, let them die. It is merely the law of the jungle."
This figure, clad in a yellow pirate captain’s outfit, resembled a demon and toyed with a gemstone ring on his finger.
He spoke with a teasing expression.
"Kiiro, the demons should unite, or humans will seize the advantage. With so many rising stars among humans, we need more..."
"Alright, alright, I understand. Stop talking; you are so long-winded," Kiiro interrupted, cutting off Zhurong’s impending sermon with a hint of exasperation.
He looked curiously at Zhurong’s volcanic head.
’It is clearly a volcano; it should be irritable and thoughtless. This is truly strange.’ Kiiro thought.
At times, he felt an urge to pour out the magma from Zhurong’s head to examine his structure.
But Zhurong would likely not cooperate with such a notion.
Whoosh, whoosh...
The fierce wind, whipped up by their rapid pace, roared around them.
The mist-laden boat surged toward the battlefield ahead.
In the sea where the Blood Leech fought, the petals of Nozomi’s sea-bound flowers began to fall.
The golden light gradually faded, leaving only colorful petals dancing in the sky, carrying a fragrant floral scent.
"It is so beautiful, and so incredible..." a Mink Tribe member said.
"Is this the power of a demigod? It is truly terrifying!" another added.
The Mink Tribe members following Shinko gazed at Nozomi, their eyes filled with admiration and awe.
On the Yamata Church’s Phantom Beast Island, their low status restricted their movements.
Observing powerful phantom beasts up close was challenging.
There, they were most familiar with the Sulong.
Yet, although the Sulong was formidable, it seemed not to reach this level of power.
Some Mink Tribe members began to question the Sulong’s strength.
Perhaps its full power had not been unleashed before them.
Some comforted themselves with this notion.
The Sulong was their faith, and they naturally hoped it was the strongest.
"Nozomi, please be gentle! If you shatter it, it will not fetch much money!" Hina said.
She looked at the tattered figure in mid-air with distress and voiced her complaint.
Hearing Hina’s words, Nozomi’s beautiful eyes gave her a blank stare.
Nozomi was speechless at Hina’s money-obsessed demeanor.
"Do not worry, the gluttony’s resilience is remarkable, and I have already toned down my power." she replied.
Her earlier attack was her signature technique.
But this move could be adjusted.
The strike had been of medium intensity; at full power, the Blood Leech would have been reduced to fragments.
On the sea, the definition of demi-god-level combat power was a monster with peak strength distinct from ordinary creatures, though the criteria remained vague.
What degree of difference qualified as beyond peak combat power?
Among major factions, a minimum standard existed.
It required the ability to withstand three peak-level combatants simultaneously.
This standard stemmed from the Celestial Dragons execution incident and the Death Island war.
It was based on Esdeath, who was still a Marine Vice Admiral at that time, facing three legendary pirates.
Now, matching three gem-level hunters was sufficient.
The Hunter Association conducted such tests.
However, this was merely the minimum threshold for demi-god status.
In reality, the distinctions were more complex.
The gap between demi-gods could be vast.
The upper limit of a demi-god was the lower limit of a god, a significant divide.
After all, the gods recognized in the sea were terrifying figures capable of unleashing world-ending calamities.
Yet, to many in the world, some gods’ destructive power seemed less than that of certain demi-gods.
For instance, Hisoka, the God of Extreme Evil, appeared relatively subdued compared to other gods, avoiding overt displays of catastrophic power.
Yet he could confront the Yamata God Orochimaru directly, earning recognition for his god-level combat prowess.
Returning to the matter at hand, the disparity among demi-gods could be immense, and Nozomi’s strength was notable among them.
Her power stemmed from wielding the Noble Phantasm of the Twelve Holy Knights, an advantage akin to cheating.
In the Corti Kingdom, Jin occasionally stood in as the God of Holy Light.
Growing accustomed to being revered as deity, she began to harbor ambitions.
She knew Jiada was training the third princess.
Thus, Jin sought to challenge her in a contest of strength, a confrontation born of her own imagination.
This rivalry led to the emergence of three demi-gods among the Holy Knights.
Nozomi was one of them.
Her light cannons, aligned with light and heat systems, were precisely Jin’s forte, she amplified Nozomi’s combat power to an extraordinary degree.
At that moment, the Blood Leech in the sky felt weak and battered.
Its tattered body bore testament to its ordeal.
In this state, driven by instinct, it summoned all its strength and lunged toward the nearby Zunesha.
Whoosh!
With one thought in its mind, which is escape.
It fled as if the wind itself urged it onward.
(End of Chapter)