Awakening：The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener - Chapter 616

Chapter 616: Chapter 616: The Fused Monster! Instantly Slaying a God!
“Screech!!”

A piercing shriek suddenly broke Sterl’s train of thought.

He watched as the million Silver Spiders moved in unison, as though responding to some unseen command, quickly swarming over the grotesque worm and wrapping it in a cocoon of their silvery bodies.

In mere moments, the gray-black, hideous worm was encased in a shining silver exoskeleton constructed by the Silver Spiders.

At the same time, the worm’s tail split open into a massive fissure, and from it emerged a new creature, its entire body coated in thick, viscous mucus.

The creature crawled out slowly, and the moment it touched the ground, it began ravenously consuming the silvery liquid that pooled beneath it. Hundreds of straw-like tendrils extended from its body, greedily absorbing the substance.

As it ingested the nutrients, its body began to grow at a rapid, visible pace.

Not only that, but a pair of massive, insect-like wings unfurled from its back.

Within minutes, the creature had grown to a towering height of ten meters. It retracted its feeding tendrils, raised its grotesque head, and locked its crimson compound eyes directly onto Sterl.

Sterl’s eyes narrowed as he studied the creature. At first glance, it resembled an oversized Silver Mantis, but upon closer inspection, there were distinct differences. While much of its form resembled the Silver Mantis, parts of its body bore striking similarities to various infernal species.

Its tail was thick and muscular, its body armor resembled fish-like scales, and its massive, jagged jaws were eerily similar to those of a Swamp Giant Crocodile.

The result was a terrifying, nightmarish amalgamation, as though countless creatures had been stitched together into a single being. It seemed to embody the strongest traits of every infernal species—a carefully engineered killing machine.

The most unsettling discovery came when Sterl activated his Soul Insight. The soul essence of this fused monster was nearly identical in quality to that of the Silver Mantis. However, its magnitude was exponentially greater—approximately equivalent to the combined souls of fifty Silver Mantises.

Sterl’s heart skipped a beat.

A single Silver Mantis soul could be refined into one unit of high-grade soul energy, roughly equivalent to one-tenth of a complete divine soul.

This meant that the soul of this fused monster was five times as potent as that of an average god!

Instead of excitement, Sterl felt a growing sense of unease. The power of this monster was likely unimaginably terrifying.

Yet, something strange lingered in the air. Despite the fused monster’s gaze locking onto Sterl, along with the earlier scrutiny of the grotesque worm, neither exhibited any malice toward him.

This lack of hostility rendered Sterl’s Soul Insight ability ineffective; its typical soul-quelling effects had no impact here.

Instead, all Sterl could do was stare at this abomination—this fusion of countless horrors—and brace himself for what was to come.

“Protect the master!”

“Stay alert! This monster is extremely dangerous—proceed with caution!” Boris warned in a low voice. As the wielder of divine authority over combat, his instincts for danger were exceptionally sharp. Merely looking at the fused monster sent chills down his spine, filling him with an unsettling sense of dread.

Sterl glanced at Boris and the others but did nothing to intervene. The strength of this fused monster was unknown, and he thought it was a perfect opportunity for his followers to test it out. If there were any surprises, they could take the brunt of it rather than him falling into an unexpected trap.

As for the risk that some of his divine followers might fall? That wasn’t a concern for Sterl.

They were his followers, his subordinates, bound to serve him. Dying for him was simply their duty.

After all, he couldn’t be expected to personally handle every danger or manage every problem himself. If he did, he might as well be a babysitter rather than a master. What, then, would he need followers for?

The ten divine followers unleashed their full might, activating their divine authority and laws as they cautiously squared off against the fused monster below. Meanwhile, Sterl stood calmly to the side, observing the situation with an air of detachment.

But Sterl wasn’t idle. With a thought, he activated the second ability of the Soul Prison’s Eerie Eyes: Soul Absorption.

His target, however, was not the fused monster, but the grotesque worm wrapped within the cocoon of a million Silver Spiders.

He had already attempted to glean information from the war machines birthed by the worm, but they provided no insights. This abomination, as an invader of this layer of hell, might hold valuable information—perhaps even crucial secrets.

Moreover, Soul Absorption wasn’t limited to extracting memories or knowledge; it also allowed him to acquire his target’s abilities, talents, and powers.

Countless invisible soul tendrils extended from Sterl, weaving through the air before piercing through the cocoon of Silver Spiders.

On the soul level, these ordinary Silver Spiders were incapable of offering any resistance.

The tendrils soon wrapped around the core of the worm’s soul, and the absorption began.

Suddenly, the worm reacted violently, as if triggered by some deep instinct. It let out a piercing screech, and at the same time, an immense wave of soul energy erupted from its core.

The intensity of this soul shockwave was far beyond anything Sterl had encountered before, and its focus was singular—Sterl himself.

Buzz!

Sterl froze momentarily, feeling as though his mind had been struck by a massive hammer. His vision swam, and a wave of dizziness overtook him, leaving him momentarily disoriented.

Under the immense strength of his soul, Sterl quickly recovered from the mental shock.

After all, compared to the backlash from absorbing soul energy in the past, this attack was nothing more than a minor irritation.

However, the grotesque worm’s reaction seemed to trigger the fused monster. It roared furiously, baring its jagged, saw-like teeth. With an enraged howl, it unfurled its massive wings and launched itself directly at Sterl.

“Stop it!”

“Damn insect, you will not harm our master!”

“Get the hell back!”

The God of Werewolves bellowed, transforming into a hulking werewolf. His body expanded to match the size of the fused mantis, his divine authority and Divine Power surging as he leaped in front of the monster to block its path.

Meanwhile, the other gods rapidly cast layers of Law-enhancing abilities, stacking them onto the God of Werewolves.

At that moment, the God of Werewolves felt an overwhelming surge of power coursing through his entire body. Empowered by over ten different Law Powers, every movement he made felt capable of obliterating everything in his path.

“Ha ha ha! Insect! Watch me crush you!” he roared, his massive claws swiping toward the fused mantis. His strike shattered space and obliterated energy as it tore through the air with devastating speed and force, enough to heavily injure or even annihilate a lesser god wielding weak Divine Power.

Yet, in the next moment, his vision blurred. Countless silvery afterimages appeared before him.

Slash!

A curved blade materialized out of nowhere, cutting through the air and striking him from behind. The blade, shrouded in that same mysterious gray mist, effortlessly pierced through the combined defenses of over ten layers of Law Power and sliced into the God of Werewolves’ back.

The werewolf froze, his body trembling violently. He lowered his head in disbelief, seeing the sharp tip of the blade protruding from his chest. The gray mist coiled around it was devouring his life force at an alarming rate.

“Im…poss…ible…”

He opened his mouth, his voice a broken whisper of unwilling defiance. His eyes glazed over, turning blank and lifeless, before his massive form began to fall toward the ground below.

“Now! While we have this chance—restrain it!” Boris shouted, his pupils constricted with fear. His commanding roar snapped the others out of their stunned, horrified stupor.

He immediately unleashed a Law of Curses, followed by activating his Desert Divine Authority at full force. A massive sandstorm surged into existence, darkening the skies like an apocalyptic deluge.

The other gods quickly joined in, unleashing their most powerful abilities. Waves of destructive force and divine energy rained down on the fused monster, their efforts combining into a relentless assault.

Despite their combined onslaught, fear was evident in their eyes as they watched the monster slowly regain its footing. The fused creature was still standing, and its terrifying presence loomed over them like an unstoppable force of nature.

The sight was terrifying. Despite being empowered by the combined support of every divine ally, the melee-specialist God of Werewolves had been instantly subdued—his fate uncertain, his life or death unknown.

Such overwhelming strength was beyond what any ordinary god could possess. Could it be… that this monster’s power had reached the level of a High Divine Authority?

This thought alone sent waves of terror through the remaining gods. Yet, with their master Sterl behind them, they knew they had no choice but to stand their ground. Even if it meant sacrificing their lives, they had to stop this abomination.

In an instant, the once-serene sky turned dark as the gods unleashed their full might. Each possessed the power to alter the very fabric of reality, and together, their efforts created a massive tidal wave of Divine Power.

A barrage of control abilities was unleashed, pouring toward the fused monster without restraint.

This collective force, strong enough to immobilize most gods, seemed futile—it simply couldn’t keep up with the monster’s incredible speed.

The fused monster moved like a silver phantom, darting through the air with an unearthly agility, rapidly closing in on them.

“It’s coming! Be careful!” Boris growled, his voice tense. Under the enhancement of his combat Law, he combined the powers of his Desert and Curse Divine Authority, channeling them into his fist and striking at the blur before him.

This punch held the same devastating power he had used in the capital of Orichalcum during his battle with Sterl—a punch that had once shaken the heavens.

But this time, it hit nothing but air.

The silver blur had vanished, only to reappear behind him. Before Boris could react, a thick, muscular tail whipped across his back with brutal force.

Boom!

A dull, explosive sound echoed as Boris felt his body almost shatter from within. His organs ruptured simultaneously, and half of his body went completely numb.

Yet, gritting his teeth through the excruciating pain, Boris turned with all his remaining strength and managed to grab hold of the fused monster. His ironclad arms clamped onto its tail like unyielding shackles.

“Attack me now! Do it!” he roared, blood streaming from his mouth.

The other gods hesitated for only a moment before unleashing their full power. Every attack was directed at the immobilized monster.

Encumbered by Boris, the fused mantis couldn’t fully evade this time. A powerful bolt of thunder, charged with immense Divine Power, struck it head-on.

Boris let out a pained scream as the residual energy blasted him away. His hands were charred black, resembling scorched wood.

But the fused mantis wasn’t unscathed either. Its movements faltered for a brief moment, just long enough for the rest of the gods’ attacks to land in quick succession.

A barrage of divine abilities bombarded the creature, each one striking with deadly precision.

Finally, the once unstoppable and lightning-fast monster was struck down, crashing violently to the ground below.

…