The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 779: The Thousand-Blade Prince

“Bang!”

Deep in the wilderness outside Central City, a storm of magic power suddenly erupted, creating gusts of wind.

Gray was blown back hundreds of meters by the incoming magic power before he could react.

He wasn’t a weakling. As a level ninety-nine expert, possibly even stronger than Aldia, he instantly channeled his magic power, dispelling the force acting on him.

Then, without a word, he stomped on the ground, shattering it, and charged towards Shien. His speed was like lightning, a flash in the pan.

The entire process, from Shien repelling Gray to Gray reappearing behind him, took less than a second.

In that split second, Gray attacked again, reaching for Shien’s shoulder.

But Shien wouldn’t be caught off guard again. He abruptly turned around and kicked Gray’s hand mercilessly. The force of the kick created whistling gusts of wind, showing its power.

Gray’s expression changed slightly, but he didn’t back down, changing his grab into a palm strike, hitting Shien’s incoming foot.

“Bang—!”

A loud crash echoed as their attacks collided, creating a shockwave.

Both Shien and Gray were blown back.

However, Shien only took a step back, while Gray stumbled four steps back.

The difference in strength was clear.

Shien glanced at the slightly disheveled Gray and said sarcastically,

“You’re really determined to humiliate yourself, aren’t you, former Prince?”

Shien’s mockery made Gray’s expression darken. He knew he wouldn’t gain any advantage fighting Shien. Although he hadn’t seen Shien’s full power, hadn’t witnessed him slaying the four Apostles and one Sun Apostle of the Original Demon, or even blocking that Half-Demon’s attack, he was present when Shien clashed with Kamina’s aura upon arriving at the Supreme Castle. Therefore, he knew Shien was strong, much stronger than he initially anticipated.

However, in Gray’s eyes, Shien was still on the same level as him, able to contend with Kamina because of the Holy Sword’s enhancement. As a member of the Mitra royal family, Gray had also seen the Holy Sword left by his ancestor and even tried to inherit it, but failed. However, he had witnessed its power and knew how much it could enhance one’s strength. If he had the Holy Sword, he was confident he could also fight against a Demon Lord.

After all, Shien was too young. Reaching Legendary Level at such an age was already a miracle, but he couldn’t possibly surpass him. Among the Heroes of past generations, there were geniuses who reached Legendary Level in their twenties, but none reached Limit Level at that age. Even Mitra only reached Limit Level at thirty, then achieved Transcendence through enlightenment in the Inner Sanctum. Therefore, in Gray’s eyes, Shien was probably on the same level as him, perhaps even weaker, only able to resist a Demon Lord’s aura because of the Holy Sword’s power. If Shien used the Holy Sword, even with his Unique Skill, he might not be a match for him.

The problem was, Shien hadn’t even drawn his Holy Sword, yet he was already at a disadvantage.

This wasn’t pleasant for Gray.

He didn’t bring Shien here without considering the possibility of a fight. He even devised some countermeasures, using his knowledge of the Holy Sword to limit its power. He believed that as long as he could seal Shien’s Holy Sword, with his own strength, he could fight him, even win.

Who knew that Shien could force him back without even drawing his sword?

Coupled with Shien’s sharp and sarcastic words, Gray’s blood boiled, and he unleashed his full magic power.

“Weng!” With a tremor in the air, Gray gathered his burning magic power, clenching his hand and creating a crimson sword of pure magic power.

Seeing this, Shien raised an eyebrow.

“Magic Sword?”

Yes. This was the trump card skill of close-combat fighters – [Magic Sword].

However, Gray didn’t use a weapon to cast it, but condensed a Magic Sword purely from his own magic power.

Shien immediately saw that this was a technique achievable only through perfect magic control and years of training. Gray’s maxed-out [Magic Manipulation] skill further proved this.

“Draw your sword,” Gray said coldly, pointing his Magic Sword at Shien.

The crimson Magic Sword, condensed from pure magic power, looked like a beam of red light, but the power it contained was terrifying, capable of splitting mountains and severing seas. After all, Gray’s [Magic Sword] skill was also maxed out, as were his [One-Handed Sword] and [Two-Handed Sword] weapon skills, along with several other maxed-out skills and a few at levels eight and nine, forming an impressive skill list.

From this, Shien could tell that this former prince of the Mitra Kingdom was indeed extraordinary, no wonder he could rise to become a prince despite being from a collateral branch.

However…

“I don’t need to draw my sword to deal with you,” Shien said, shaking his head, not showing any disdain, but his words clearly didn’t see Gray as a true opponent.

Gray didn’t say anything more, but with a cold expression, he swung his Magic Sword.

This single strike changed the world.

“Boom!”

The Magic Sword in Gray’s hand suddenly expanded, transforming into a giant blade of magic power that crashed down on the earth, shattering the ground and sending debris and gusts of wind swirling like a sandstorm. This single strike created a massive chasm in the earth, a terrifying sight.

However, Shien vanished the moment the Magic Sword descended, reappearing behind Gray.

“…!” Gray sensed something, abruptly turning around and swinging his Magic Sword again without hesitation, its terrifying power aimed at Shien.

Shien, unfazed, chanted softly,

“[Bestowal: Dispel].”

An invisible ripple spread outwards, and the expanding Magic Sword rapidly dissipated, only a gust of wind remaining when it reached Shien, ruffling his hair.

“Bang!” At this moment, Shien kicked Gray hard in the chest, sending him flying.

“Ugh!” Gray groaned in pain as he crashed to the ground, rolling a considerable distance before stopping.

“Swoosh!” A gust of wind blew past him.

Shien, relentless, appeared beside Gray again and kicked.

“Bang!” Another thud and another shockwave.

But this time, Gray blocked it. At the last moment, he extended a hand, gathering magic power and forming a shield of pure magic, practically a shield version of [Magic Sword].

Could [Magic Sword] even be used like this? Even Shien was surprised.

He didn’t know that this was Gray’s specialty. After losing the right to inherit the Holy Sword, Gray felt that no weapon could compare to that legendary divine blade and lost interest in all weapons. At that time, in his youth, full of pride and arrogance, having witnessed the Holy Sword’s power, he disdained all weapons, whether crafted by the Dwarven magic weapon masters or the most skilled blacksmiths in the Kingdom.

So, he had a brilliant idea, using [Magic Sword] as a base, supplemented by [Magic Manipulation], and honed the skill of condensing magic power into any weapon. This technique not only required high levels in both [Magic Sword] and [Magic Manipulation], but also specialized control methods, practically a self-created Special Skill.

Thanks to this, while still in the Human Realm, Gray earned the title of “Thousand-Blade Prince,” his fame widespread, a renowned genius.

It wasn’t until he met Shafney, becoming captivated and abandoning his country to join the Demon Race, that he was seen as a disgrace by the royal family, the former king even forbidding anyone in the Kingdom from mentioning him. After over twenty years, his legendary deeds were forgotten.

He was truly a genius, although still one step away from Limit Level, many aspects of his power were already comparable to a Limit Level being.

“Boom!” At this moment, Gray’s magic power erupted, transforming into countless crimson Magic Swords around him, making the atmosphere tremble.

“Don’t underestimate me!” he shouted. At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to his glorious past, his gloom turning into an overbearing aura, as he grabbed Shien’s foot, which was kicking his magic shield, and sent the surrounding Magic Swords crashing down like cannonballs.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!” …

The Magic Swords struck the ground one after another, creating continuous explosions, the earth shattering and crumbling beneath the onslaught.

The scene was apocalyptic.

Chapter 780: “You Can’t Even Break My Defense.”

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”…

Deep in the wilderness, the rain of Magic Swords continued to fall, shattering everything on the ground, turning the earth into rubble. This power was even more terrifying than the strongest destructive magic of a Legendary Grand Magician, turning everything within several kilometers into debris.

“Roar!”

“Howl!”

Many monsters in the surrounding area were caught in this disaster, either fleeing in terror or being obliterated by the falling Magic Swords, leaving behind only pools of blood. Even a nearby forest had a corner sheared off, the beautiful scenery destroyed.

Under such a disaster, even a top-tier Legendary expert, without exceptional means of protection, would be killed.

Gray thought this attack would at least injure Shien, even if it couldn’t defeat him.

Unfortunately…

“Is that all?”

Shien stood there amidst the rain of Magic Swords, unfazed by the destruction around him, enduring the powerful attacks like an invincible war god.

He was completely unharmed.

“What…!?” Gray’s pupils constricted.

Shien, ignoring the destructive power of the Magic Swords, said with a smirk,

“It seems you can’t even break my defense.”

Saying this, he shook off Gray’s hand, which was grabbing his foot, and stomped hard on his chest.

“Bang!”

Gray was sent flying again, even crashing into a falling Magic Sword, which exploded upon impact. His figure was completely engulfed in the resulting dust and smoke, his fate unknown.

The rain of Magic Swords in the sky also stopped, dissipating into nothingness.

Shien patted the dust off his clothes, looking relaxed and composed.

If there were a third party present, they would definitely pity Gray. Shien hadn’t even used his full strength. Not to mention his Holy Sword and [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], he hadn’t even used much of his normal power. And yet, Gray was already defeated.

“Cough…” Amidst the dust and smoke, Gray, his clothes stained with blood, pushed aside the rubble, knelt on the ground, and looked at Shien with disbelief.

“How… how could you be so strong?” he asked, unable to believe that even with his own strength, he couldn’t even faze Shien. Just as Shien said, he couldn’t even break his defense.

This outcome was a huge blow to Gray’s confidence.

But how could he understand?

“I could defeat Bedo, the leader of the Assassination Branch, when I was below level thirty, fight against Legendary-level experts at level fifty-five, and after entering the Inner Sanctum and gaining enlightenment, integrating my skills and reaching level seventy-seven, I could even defeat Aldia, the strongest human, even having a chance against Limit Level experts.”

For the first time, Shien recounted his legendary achievements.

“Now, I’ve reached the Limit of Life, my strength far greater than when I defeated Aldia. Even without the Holy Sword, what can you do to me?”

In the past half month, Shien had reevaluated his strength, understanding his current level.

Having reached Limit Level, even without the Holy Sword or [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], he could achieve a half-step Transcendence, like before when using [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree] at double amplification.

In this state, he could easily defeat Limit Level experts and toy with top-tier Legendary experts. And if he used the Holy Sword, he would directly enter Transcendence, able to fight against beings like the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Nature. This didn’t even include the effects of the [Supreme God’s Blessing], which made him immune to the God Race’s divine powers, not just those of the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Nature, but even Lildas, the Goddess of Fate.

With the blessing’s effect, he could probably even fight against the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Nature without the Holy Sword. And with the Holy Sword and [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], he believed he could even challenge Lildas, the Goddess of Fate, considered the strongest in the three realms.

Therefore, Shien believed his current strength could be divided into three stages.

The first stage was his normal state, half-step Transcendence, capable of crushing Limit Level experts, unless they had incredibly powerful or special Unique Skills, like Parion’s [Crimson Sun Hell] or Hartley’s [Ice Prison]. Otherwise, ordinary Limit Level experts were no match for him.

The second stage was using the Holy Sword, achieving full Transcendence, and with the [Supreme God’s Blessing], he could even defeat beings like the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Nature. Even against Demon Lords, with the Holy Sword’s advantage against demons, he could still fight. Only Sara, with her activated [Hazing Moon Pilgrimage], and Shafney, with her [Ripple Heart Demon], would be difficult for him to defeat at this stage.

The third stage was using all his means, wielding the Holy Sword and using [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree] at tenfold amplification, going all out. At this stage, his power might even rival that of Demon Lords, and with the Holy Sword countering Demon Lords and the blessing suppressing Goddesses, he could even fight against Sara with her activated [Hazing Moon Pilgrimage], and even challenge Lildas, the Goddess of Fate.

Therefore, although not yet transcendent, Shien already possessed the potential to be invincible in Omnipotence.

Although [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree] had a time limit and high consumption, he no longer feared any opponent. And even if he couldn’t recklessly use his third stage power due to [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree]’s limitations, the Holy Sword had no side effects.

In other words, he could always use his second stage power, which was already on par with Demon Lords, unless it was Sara, whose power rivaled even Lildas under the full moon, or Shafney, whose [Ripple Heart Demon] could directly affect him.

He no longer needed to fear Demon Lord-level power.

Naturally, for such a Shien, Gray was just a minor character. Even without the Holy Sword, at half-step Transcendence, he didn’t need to fear a former prince who hadn’t even reached Limit Level.

“If you truly want to be my opponent, then use your Unique Skill,” Shien declared.

“If your Unique Skill is powerful and special enough, then I might draw my sword.”

That was how it was. To threaten Shien without reaching Transcendence, one could only rely on their Unique Skill. Besides those with extraordinary Unique Skills, those below Transcendence weren’t even qualified to be his opponents.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t even awakened your Unique Skill?” Shien asked with a smirk, “That would be disappointing.”

His words, devoid of any respect, only mockery, were directed at the arrogant Gray.

Gray naturally couldn’t tolerate such disdain.

“I don’t believe you, a young newcomer, have already reached Limit Level!” he said through gritted teeth, standing up.

“Even if you’re the Hero, today, I will teach you a lesson!”

Saying this, Gray’s magic power erupted, and an invisible domain expanded from him, rapidly enveloping the surrounding kilometer.

“This is…?” Shien’s heart stirred, and he activated the perception of [Outer Awareness of Heaven’s Decree].

He was surprised. Enemy reactions appeared in his perception.

Shien immediately teleported away.

And as he did, something unbelievable happened.

“Roar!” With a beastly roar, as if a giant, invisible mouth appeared, the ground where Shien had been standing was bitten off.

Shien reappeared a distance away, and before he could react, he sensed more enemy reactions, teleporting again.

“Roar!”

“Roar!”

Beastly roars echoed without warning, as if invisible beasts were biting chunks out of that area.

Shien reappeared high in the air, looking down at the scene, seemingly understanding something.

“Invisible beasts…” he murmured.

“Just invisible attacks embodying the concept of ‘beast’,” Gray replied, taking out some bottles and potions and treating his injuries while speaking to Shien.

“Capable of unleashing invisible attacks in the form of beastly assaults, targeting anywhere within my sight.”

“This is my Unique Skill – [Formless Beasts].”

Saying this, he looked at Shien.

“With this ability, as long as you’re within my sight, you can’t escape.”

As his words fell, as if countless beasts appeared around Shien, accompanied by roars, surrounding him.

“Roar!”

“Roar!”

In the next moment, countless invisible fangs bit into Shien.