Volume One, Chapter 68: The Great Battle Between Bareru and Gatanjeh

“According to the Chronicle of Taiping Local Customs, it is hailed as the evil god Gatanjeh, whose power is no less than yours.” The reminder from Torekia echoed in his ears, startling Bareru, but what followed was a fire of rage surging through his chest.

How dare anyone besides the master call themselves an evil god?

Bareru’s gaze grew cold, a cosmic aura sweeping the entire scene like a hurricane. The terrifying pressure overturned the surrounding seawater, sending it surging toward distant waters. Yet, as this fierce aura approached within a hundred meters of Gatanjeh, it was abruptly stopped in its tracks.

A roar, monstrous and terrifying, erupted without warning.

Gatanjeh’s eyes flashed with crimson light, and within the black clouds overhead, countless pairs of red eyes—identical to its own—lit up.

“Die-ah!”

“Die-ah!”

“Die-ah!”

“Die-ah!”

“…”

Countless overlapping screeches crashed down from the sky like thunder. Torekia, Bareru, and every human watching the battle all looked up.

In the heavens, hordes of avian monsters descended like a tempest, so vast and overwhelming that words failed to capture the scene. A handful dove at Bareru, while the rest scattered across the globe.

The shock this spectacle inflicted upon humanity far surpassed the devastation Torekia had wrought upon the TPC base. The monsters blanketing the sky and their piercing screeches battered the last vestiges of human hope and courage.

“Evacuate the residents immediately!” Hui, the leader, shouted.

The Victory Team snapped out of their daze, not daring to hesitate. They rushed out of the temporary base, faces grim as they armed themselves, then sped toward the streets.

“Minions, do not interfere with this battle.”

Watching the monsters dive toward him, Bareru merely slid his demonic blade lightly. A slash imbued with destructive power appeared across the monster's body, detonating it mid-air.

At that moment, Gatanjeh’s tentacles suddenly burst from the sea, surging toward Bareru with a force that defied imagination. The tentacles were numerous, dense as tangled seaweed, and remarkably tough.

Bareru remained unruffled. He raised his demonic blade, his form becoming a spectral blur as he darted to Gatanjeh’s front and struck fiercely.

Bang—

The demonic blade crashed against the hard shell, sending sparks flying. Yet Bareru’s pupils contracted, his body frozen in place. His gaze fixed on Gatanjeh’s back, where only a faint white mark remained—no real damage had been done.

What a formidable shell!

In his shock, a sense of danger suddenly surged. Bareru instinctively shifted right, and a deep purple beam shot from Gatanjeh’s mouth, grazing his waist as it passed.

Cold sweat broke out on Bareru. He wanted to retreat to a safe distance and seize another chance to attack. But he had barely steadied himself when Gatanjeh’s tentacles snaked around his legs, extending to bind his entire body.

“Not good!” Bareru’s expression changed, and he desperately unleashed his inner power to break free.

But at the same moment, a terrifying electrical current surged through him.

Crackle—

Bareru’s body convulsed, the overwhelming voltage instantly numbing his limbs, leaving him powerless to resist. The demonic blade slipped from his grasp, plunging into the sea.

“Damn it, to be forced to such extremes by a mere monster!”

He struggled furiously, rage burning in his eyes. Then, he suddenly sensed his energy being steadily siphoned away by the tentacles that bound him.

This monster could absorb energy!

Bareru’s composure finally cracked, terror replacing calm. In his mind, only Torekia possessed the ability to devour energy. Yet now, a monster with the same attribute had appeared, and his heart was shaken, panic rising.

Fortunately, the master was still nearby—he would not perish here.

Noticing Bareru’s plea for help, Torekia’s lips twitched. He had warned him to be cautious, yet this fool had charged straight in, practically handing the enemy an opportunity.

Despite his irritation, Torekia set aside his work and unleashed a mighty force across the distance.

A deep blue lightning bolt pierced space, striking Gatanjeh’s hardened shell.

Crack—

Even the shell that the demonic blade could barely mark was split open, a crater forming at the impact site.

Torekia was a legendary warrior infused with elemental power; dealing with a cosmic-level foe was effortless for him.

“Roar—!”

Suffering a heavy blow, Gatanjeh let out a pained screech, its tentacles loosening their grip.

Bareru seized the chance to break free. He reached toward the sea, and with a thought, the demonic blade soared from the water, returning to his hand.

After that perilous episode, Bareru dared not approach again. If close combat failed, he would let the enemy taste his true power!

With a low growl, two dazzling yellow beams ignited deep within Bareru’s eyes. He extended both hands, his pincers—once pressed to his arms—suddenly stretched outward. At their center, destructive energy gathered, radiating annihilation.

As he fired, a shockwave exploded behind him, raising a hundred-meter-high tidal wave. The unleashed force rippled across the globe, causing the continents to tremble violently. The nearest island nations experienced earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

“Roar!!!!”

Gatanjeh howled wildly, unleashing a purple beam from its mouth.

Boom—

The two colossal powers collided, a visible vacuum erupting at the center. The shockwave split the sea, and deep below, where humans could never reach, carved a bottomless trench.

Their powers were evenly matched!

Bareru was stunned once more, a manic light flaring in his eyes.

Then, Torekia’s voice sounded behind him.

“That’s enough. Stand down.”

Bareru jolted, instinctively withdrawing his energy, which allowed Gatanjeh’s force to surge forward in retaliation. Yet in the next instant, that earth-shattering power dissipated like fading light, becoming countless sparks that vanished above the sea.

Torekia drifted forward, a hint of approval in his eyes. “Ruler of darkness, evil god Gatanjeh, why not join my ranks?”

This ancient monster, though wordless, possessed an intellect unmatched through the ages. Faced with such humiliation, its fury naturally erupted in response.