Awakening：The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener - Chapter 555

Chapter 555: Chapter 555: Supreme Deities, the Lower Realm, and Group Buffs!
Once the Royal City successfully merges, victory in this war will undoubtedly belong to the nation of Orichalcum. Under the immense power of the Royal City, any being below the rank of a Supreme Deity will find it impossible to even approach. It has effectively become an unbreakable layer of defense.

When that time comes, the nation of Orichalcum will be free to exact revenge in any form it chooses. After all… the deities of Ashen are powerless against Orichalcum’s Royal City. However, the Ashen Temple is another matter—they will be vulnerable to harassment and attacks at any time.

For now, Eterna remains steadfast, refraining from any reckless aggression until their forces achieve a definitive and overwhelming advantage. The near-catastrophic defeat from their previous battle had served as a grim reminder. He would never repeat such a mistake again.

“Truly cautious. They didn’t even choose to press the attack after their victory,” Sterl remarked, a trace of admiration flashing in his eyes. He now understood why Eterna, despite having strength comparable to Boris, was the one leading the charge. It was because Eterna’s approach was far more prudent and comprehensive.

Such a person was indeed worthy of managing the affairs of the entire nation of Orichalcum. A single reckless decision could spell disaster on an unimaginable scale, and Eterna was not the type to take that gamble lightly.

At this moment, the battlefield had entered a brief lull. Orichalcum’s forces remained stationary, conserving their strength and refraining from even using long-range tactics. This restraint afforded Ashen’s side a momentary reprieve.

Under Boris’s command, the disposable army—previously decimated alongside the Demon Elephant and torn apart by the backlash of the formation—was gradually reorganized into a new formation. Meanwhile, the legendary legion suffered only minor losses. Although some lower-tier legendary warriors had been outright crushed by the might of the Godslayer Crossbow, most of the remaining troops had only sustained superficial wounds. With ample supplies, their strength had already been mostly replenished.

“Well, well, well! Eterna… I must admit, I underestimated you. I didn’t think you’d resort to such vile tactics!” Boris stepped to the forefront of the battlefield, his cold gaze fixed on Eterna. His eyes burned with hatred and murderous intent, though the shock and unease in his heart had yet to fully subside. The Godslayer Crossbow had been far more terrifying than he had anticipated. Had he not retreated into the legendary legion’s formation in time, he might have been reduced to ashes on the spot.

Staring at the familiar figure above the Royal City, Boris was consumed by a desire to tear them apart. After all, every decision he had made since infiltrating Ashen under Sterl’s direction had been entirely his own.

That is to say, throughout this war, Sterl had hardly been directly involved. Most of it had been a battle of wits and strategy between him and Boris. Now, looking back, even though he had held an absolute advantage, Eterna had somehow managed to turn the tide and level the playing field.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the undeniable truth lay before him—Eterna was, without a doubt, stronger than he was.

As this thought took root in his mind, it inevitably stirred up memories of years of being overlooked and underestimated. In the past, these slights had barely registered with him, but as the world underwent massive upheaval and human emotions resurfaced in full force, such treatment began to cut deeper, making him far more sensitive to it.

Perhaps, even if Sterl hadn’t been part of the equation, Boris might still have chosen to betray them—simply because he couldn’t stand the thought of watching Eterna claim victory yet again.

From a hundred miles away, Eterna quietly observed his former comrade. There was no anger in his eyes, no hatred. Only calm… and disdain.

That expression sent Boris into an even greater frenzy. A wild beast seemed to roar and thrash within his heart, its rage consuming him.

“Fine! I’ll make you regret this! I’ll make you pay the price! I will raze the Royal City to the ground and trample you beneath my feet! Then we’ll see who the true victor is!” he roared hoarsely.

Without wasting another moment, Boris activated another trump card. In an instant, a massive composite formation descended upon everyone on the battlefield.

A radiant glow appeared over the heads of all the troops, from the legendary legion to the remaining millions of disposable soldiers. However, the glow surrounding the legendary legion was distinct, enveloped by an additional, independent formation.

This was a chained battle formation meticulously designed by Ashen’s forces, and it served a singular, sinister purpose: to use the lives of the disposable army as a foundation for the legendary legion’s power.

In other words, the legendary legion could draw upon the strength of the cannon fodder at will. Moreover, any damage inflicted on the legendary legion would be transferred through the formation to the disposable troops. Only after the last member of the cannon fodder army had perished would any harm finally reach the legendary legion.

This was an abominable, utterly ruthless formation—one that treated the lives of millions as nothing more than weeds by the roadside. Burn them, cut them down, it mattered not; they were entirely disposable.

The most horrifying aspect was that the formation possessed built-in restorative properties. These second- and third-rate soldiers wouldn’t even realize, up until their dying breaths, that they’d been sold out.

With millions of lives as their shield, the legendary legion could now launch a ferocious offensive unhindered. Even though many of their legendary and demigod warriors hadn’t fully recovered their strength or injuries, they could still unleash devastating attacks that couldn’t be underestimated.

At that moment, an immense and overwhelming aura suddenly surged from the rear of Ashen’s forces. The sheer power of this presence was staggering—no weaker than the War Demon Elephant that Eterna had previously dealt with.

Even Boris was caught off guard, spinning around sharply to locate the source. What he saw left him utterly stunned. A deity, shrouded in countless chains, was slowly ascending into the skies above Ashen’s ranks.

This god’s visage was serene and delicate, exuding an air of divine compassion. It was as if a sacred statue from the temple had come to life. Most notably, the aura radiating from this being unmistakably carried the power of upper divine authority.

This was no illusion—an actual Supreme Deity had descended. Unlike the formidable divine visage that Orichalcum had previously conjured—an entity of condensed Divine Power—this Supreme Deity had manifested in person, fully and truly present.

However, the numerous chains binding the deity’s body revealed the cost of such an appearance. It was clear that a great price had been paid for this descent. Moreover, the increasing rejection from the world’s natural laws was palpable. It was only a matter of time before this Supreme Deity was forcibly expelled from the realm.

The deity slowly raised their hand, and a force far surpassing that of ordinary gods began to ripple outward. In that moment, everyone on the battlefield understood the identity of this divine presence—it was the God of Life.

Indeed, this Supreme Deity wielded only a single divine authority and a singular Law Power, yet the profundity of their power was on an entirely different level. The Divine Power they released carried a mysterious and overwhelming strength that defied comparison.

Any lesser beings, even those with weaker Divine Power of the same divine authority, would find themselves instantly suppressed. Their connection to Law Power might be severed entirely under this crushing domination of rank—a true and absolute superiority.

“Go forth, brave warriors. Victory belongs to you. The world… shall be protected by your hands,” the God of Life spoke softly.

Their voice was androgynous, with a faint magnetic quality that resonated directly within the hearts of all Ashen soldiers. Simultaneously, the power emanating from the God of Life began to merge into the bodies of the soldiers.

In that instant, it felt as though a pair of warm, soothing hands were massaging their entire beings. All wounds and exhaustion began to heal rapidly, and both their physical and mental tension were eased.

Not only that—a powerful group-wide blessing appeared over the entire Ashen army.

[You have received the God of Life’s Favor: Life Force +50%, Recovery Speed +200%, Incoming Damage Reduced by 20%, and All Attributes +10% until the end of the battle.]

The soldiers stood reinvigorated, their spirits lifted by the divine presence. The battlefield, once gripped by tension, was now electrified with newfound strength and resolve. The God of Life had turned the tide with a single gesture.

Without a doubt, this was yet another trump card from Ashen’s forces. The descent of a Supreme Deity’s true form into the lower realm, granting blessings and divine favor, was no mere morale boost. The buffs bestowed had directly restored both of Ashen’s legions to peak condition, and their combat strength had more than doubled as a result.

After imparting its power, the figure of the God of Life slowly faded from sight. However, the lingering aura and divine energy still hung in the air, permeating the battlefield.

Seeing this, Boris froze momentarily before a look of delight appeared on his face. Yet deep down, his heart was heavier than ever. While he harbored a burning desire to tear Eterna apart, he was, at his core, a pawn of Sterl. All of his actions revolved around Sterl’s greater plans.

This unexpected move by Ashen, kept entirely in the dark even from him, had flipped their initial disadvantage into a newfound advantage. If this continued, the nation of Orichalcum would be doomed. That would fail to meet their master’s ultimate goal of mutual destruction between the two sides!

Even Sterl was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t anticipated that Ashen would go so far as to summon a Supreme Deity’s true form into the lower realm to intervene in the battle. There was no doubt that the cost of such an act would be anything but trivial. Even with the world’s restrictions having weakened considerably, it still wasn’t something that could be done lightly.

Sterl’s gaze shifted toward Eterna. While Eterna looked equally shaken, there was no sign of panic or disorder. It was clear that Eterna had anticipated a countermeasure for just such a scenario.

It made sense. If Orichalcum had been able to summon a powerful Divine Power entity to manifest its might, there was no reason they wouldn’t expect Ashen to employ similar tactics.

After all, the forces of both sides, whether in the lower or upper realms, were almost evenly matched. Precautions against such contingencies were inevitable.

With that in mind, Sterl sent Boris a signal to proceed as planned. Then, with a calm demeanor, he resumed watching the spectacle.

Of course, he knew that this confrontation wouldn’t remain at a stalemate for long. It was only a matter of time before it escalated into a full-blown and ferocious clash. And when that time came… he would be ready to act.

After all, his purpose for participating in this battlefield was not merely to spectate, but to hunt for souls—allowing the Soul Devourer Sphere to capture a massive number of them and refine their essence into pure soul energy!

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