Chapter 976 Watchman
Vesper stood alone, facing his formidable adversaries. His commanders had been defeated, and his once-mighty army lay in ruins. Sarohan"s betrayal had only deepened the wound. His face grew pale, and beads of sweat formed on his brow, but his eyes refused to surrender to the dire circ.u.mstances. Instead, they searched desperately for a way to escape this predicament.
Seraphine, her voice resonating with a chilling calmness, spoke, "Demons like us are creatures grounded in realism. Life and death are as natural to us as breathing. If the situation demands it, we embrace death without hesitation. Yet, what I find truly admirable about humans is their unwavering determination to survive, as if their very existence is essential to the world itself." With a graceful motion of her hand, crimson spears materialized from thin air. "However, I take no sorrow in extinguishing that resolve."
A thousand blood-red spears erupted from the earth, filling the sky above the forest. Vesper lifted his gaze, his fear intensifying as he comprehended the kind of opponent he had chosen and the significance of the coveted demonic blood. The path to acquiring such power was an insurmountable obstacle.
"Is this the fate of those who follow the will of the G.o.ds?" the warlord muttered, his eyes fixed on the unfolding spectacle. Though encased in ethereal armor, doubts crept into his mind, questioning whether it could withstand the onslaught. "Why must we be restrained while demons revel in this power within their tower?"
"If fairness is what you seek, the G.o.ds would hardly be the epitome of virtue," Seraphine retorted, lowering her hand and unleashing the thousand crimson spears toward Vesper. A mighty roar erupted from the half-giant as his ethereal armor erupted, enveloping him completely.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The spears descended upon him, creating billowing clouds of dust as they struck the ground. Arthur, standing beside Sarohan, watched in awe at the sheer devastation unfolding before him. Sarohan awaited Arthur"s response regarding his offer, but the latter"s attention couldn"t help but be captivated by the magnitude of the destruction.
Each scarlet spear appeared to bring about the annihilation of the world itself, exploding in a colossal sphere of crimson that decayed everything it touched. Humans and inanimate objects alike succ.u.mbed to the rain of destruction, laying waste to half the forest.
Amidst the swirling dust and spheres of crimson, Arthur witnessed the ethereal armor shielding Vesper succ.u.mb to the onslaught. The half-giant bellowed in agony as his body deteriorated under the relentless barrage.
"Even in death, I shall never falter!" Vesper"s defiant roar resonated, surprising all who witnessed it. Despite a spear piercing his shoulder, he pressed forward, rending it inconsequential. Each attack that struck his body chipped away at it, yet the warlord pushed on unwaveringly.
Arthur observed the warlord"s relentless onslaught, struggling to comprehend the immense power possessed by demons. Just as he began to believe that the battle was nearing its end, the world around him started to lose its vibrancy. Colors faded, replaced by an encroaching grayness that froze everything in its path. His eyes widened in astonishment as the world became a desolate canvas.
"Tick," a voice murmured, ethereal and distant. It was a barely audible whisper, the sole remaining sound in this muted realm. Arthur attempted to move, but his body remained unresponsive, while his mind raced to grasp the unfolding enigma. "Tock."
As the echo of the second word reverberated, the entire scene, the people, the matter, and the destruction, came to a standstill. Arthur witnessed the spears piercing the warlord, capturing the agony and determination etched on his face, and the billowing dust suspended in mid-air. He found himself immersed in an ethereal dimension where motion ceased to exist.
"I made it in the nick of time," the voice whispered again, resonating through the stagnant world. It was then that Arthur discerned movement. A figure materialized atop the warlord"s towering head, adorned in shiny brown leather boots.
Caught in the corner of his eye, Arthur struggled to perceive the newcomer fully, his immobile state limiting his perspective. After a few seconds, the image of the enigmatic figure solidified in Arthur"s mind. The man donned a suit with suspenders, a brown jacket, and a brown hat, his face concealed by giant round gla.s.ses with three lenses.
Though seemingly human, the man exuded an otherworldly aura that defied Arthur"s expectations. The triangular arrangement of the gla.s.ses" lenses hinted at a hidden trinity of eyes beneath them. Arthur continued to decipher the enigmatic stranger"s appearance as he retrieved an object from his right pocket.
"Whoa, that feline cost me three precious seconds! Even the one who observes encounters unexpected troubles, it seems. Astraeus will surely be furious, but he won"t have grounds for complaint when I resolve the mess he left behind."
Arthur"s attention fixated on the man"s pocket watch, observing as he gazed at it for a few moments before sighing and returning it to his pocket. From another pocket, he retrieved a different pocket watch and began tinkering with it.
"Mmm, the anomaly appears to be the man in golden and black robes, but there"s a demon here too! Some might envy me for capturing two anomalies simultaneously. Let"s see..." The man"s muttered words revealed his contemplation, his eyes scanning the surroundings until they landed on Arthur. Their gazes locked, yet the newcomer remained unaware that Arthur could see and hear him. "Should I dispatch him right here?"
Those words sent a jolt of nervousness through Arthur"s heart. It was the first time he had experienced such helplessness, transformed into a lamb awaiting slaughter. His efforts to move proved futile.
"Nah, that wouldn"t be much fun," the man remarked, whom Arthur a.s.sumed to be the G.o.d Astraeus had mentioned. He opened his pocket watch and began manipulating it. Moments later, Arthur comprehended the man"s intentions.
Everything started to rewind. The descending red spears reversed their trajectory, and the giant began running backward. Arthur"s own body moved against his will, as if a video were playing in reverse.
Once the G.o.d finished manipulating his pocket watch, everything froze once more. He then retrieved his other watch and pressed a b.u.t.ton, allowing movement to resume. Colors flooded back into the world, and the scene revealed what had transpired mere moments before Vesper"s impending demise.
"Greetings, esteemed ladies, gentlemen, and all others!" The newcomer greeted the crowd, arms outstretched in a grandiose gesture. His demeanor commanded attention, exuding an air of haughtiness that made it evident he was far from ordinary.
Sarohan had been in the midst of urging Arthur to join him, but since time had rewound, the conversation had never occurred. The only person who retained knowledge of the events was Arthur, who stared at the G.o.d with a sickened expression.
"Who are you?! Get off my head!" Vesper"s enraged roar reverberated as he attempted to swing his fist at the intruder. However, the man with the gla.s.ses effortlessly raised his hand, immobilizing the giant. "What the h.e.l.l...?!"
"Don"t be so agitated, Vesper," the man calmly responded, adjusting his trinity gla.s.ses. "I have come here to aid you in your battle against the demon. My divine name is Watchman, a Keeper of Time!" Watchman tapped his boots against the giant"s head and leaned in, locking eyes with Vesper. "I had to rewind time to save you from certain death, Vesper. Show some grat.i.tude!"
"A Keeper of Time?" Vesper muttered, his confusion evident, before shifting his focus to the demon. "How can I trust your words without proof?"
"There"s nothing amiss in a rational man demanding proof!" Watchman exclaimed, his gestures emphasizing his point. "I have a preferred demonstration to showcase my abilities to skeptics! Let us employ this tree as our example!"
While the G.o.d appeared engrossed in his own world and performance, Arthur observed that Seraphine remained frozen throughout the exchange. Beads of sweat glistened on half of her face. Either she shared Arthur"s ability to perceive the time manipulation or had a personal acquaintance with Watchman.
"Tick, tock!" Watchman shouted, throwing his hand to the side and directing his gaze at a towering tree. "First, we accelerate time!" As he commanded, the tree swiftly transitioned from green to orange, until only barren branches remained. Then, it began to wither and decay before their very eyes. "And now, reverse!" Watchman exclaimed, swinging his other hand to initiate the reversal of time for the tree.
The onlookers, including Arthur, Sarohan, Seraphine, and Vesper, watched the scene unfold with a lump in their throats. This newcomer wielded time as if it were a mere toy, leaving them uncertain of his intentions.
"...ha...hahaha..." Vesper began to laugh, the realization dawning upon him that the G.o.ds had come to his aid. He lifted his head, regarding Watchman as his savior. "I have awaited your a.s.sistance, mighty G.o.d! Aid me in vanquishing this demon that has plagued your realm!"
"Excellent, excellent, excellent!" Watchman repeated, clapping his gloved hands together. "I arrived here to address an anomaly, but I prefer to keep my hands clean! Hence, I shall lend my support as you bring down these blasphemers!"
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