Eldritch Horror Theatre

Blood Crusade combined with Chastisement left most demigods practically defenseless, and Ballard was no exception.

Especially since he was caught completely off guard.

It was obvious that Ballard could never have imagined Fu Qian making such a move at a time like this.

He might not have trusted Fu Qian and suspected him of harboring ulterior motives, but an act like this was tantamount to suicide.

"Why?"

An instant later, the man asked the question burning in his soul, completely ignoring his own injuries.

"Are you crazy?"

A gasp of shock echoed right after.

Of the two spectators nearby, Akasha reacted a bit faster. She leaped up almost instantly, aiming her bone claws at Fu Qian from all directions.

Following his unexpectedly successful sneak attack, the man now had a genuine hostage in his grasp.

"Didn't I make myself clear just now?"

Faced with the double interrogation, Fu Qian's tone remained unhurried, even though he knew the demigods outside were currently doubling back.

"As a heroic figure, you are going to end your story today. You will even vanish from everyone's memories. Do you accept this ending?"

"I just want to know why you want this ending. What benefit does it bring you?"

Staring intently at Fu Qian, Ballard didn't answer the question. He simply looked as if he wanted to die knowing why.

Truly dedicated to his role!

Taking in the man's reaction, Fu Qian couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

Even at a time like this, Ballard still wanted to seize every possible opportunity to shine.

Like using this "near-death" situation to confirm Fu Qian's true intentions.

...

Fu Qian naturally knew that Ballard wouldn't die from simple trauma.

The last time he crushed this guy's head, Ballard had regenerated it in the blink of an eye.

In fact, judging from the regeneration process, Ballard's Mirror Armor was far more than just a layer of defense. It was practically a part of his body—perhaps even his true main body.

Therefore, as a proper hero of Order, Ballard's current reaction wasn't surprising.

Fu Qian knew there was a high probability Ballard didn't believe he was about to face true death.

After all, he didn't even believe in Fu Qian's desire to surrender, so why would he believe such baseless, ruthless threats?

Of course, what Ballard didn't know was that the moment Fu Qian plunged his hand in, he would directly use Visceral Attack.

Delivered at full power, it was a level of damage Ballard absolutely could not withstand.

And since the man himself was a manifested symbol, the conceptual damage unique to Visceral Attack would very likely strip him of any chance at reincarnation. It might even result in his direct obliteration on a conceptual level.

Fu Qian didn't explain this, because he knew someone else would.

"Yes, I want this ending, and there is a benefit."

Unprecedentedly, Fu Qian actually answered the question first, giving a comprehensive response while offering a reminder.

"Now think it over. Engage in some Overthinking before you answer my question."

"You..."

Fu Qian's textbook terrorist answer, along with his subsequent reminder, visibly left Ballard both alarmed and confused. But before he could say anything else, his expression suddenly turned solemn.

Fu Qian didn't interrupt, already guessing who was transmitting a message to Ballard.

As a Prophet, that person should still be able to foresee the future Ballard was about to face.

And obviously, Yuan Fang didn't want him to die.

Under the Prophet's guidance, Ballard would surely believe he wasn't spouting nonsense now.

"A destiny of complete erasure? Leaving not even a trace of having existed... Truly a horrifying end to a story."

A moment later, Fu Qian heard Ballard mutter to himself.

The same went for Akasha and her companion. Though they only caught fragments, the information revealed sparked endless, terrifying implications in their minds, causing the two to exchange bewildered glances.

Outside the dining hall, the demigods who had left earlier had already returned. However, not wanting to provoke Fu Qian while he held a hostage, they refrained from rushing in.

"So, what is your answer?"

Enjoying the treatment originally meant for the Hunting Squad, Fu Qian remained entirely unbothered.

Looking at Ballard's much graver expression, he simply asked again in a very gentle tone.

"This might sound a bit foolish."

As if jolted awake, Ballard let out a long sigh and looked up at him.

"But the answer is, I am still honored to have lived through such a destiny."

"Understood."

Fu Qian offered a slight salute with his free hand, his face devoid of any mockery.

"Me too."

And as his saluting hand dropped, his other hand unleashed Visceral Attack.

Just as he had said before, this future was inevitable.

Only a dead Ballard would give his previous words their true meaning. This was a complete story.

...

The next moment, a resplendent scene unfolded in the dining hall.

For this strike, Fu Qian even directly activated Mythical Form.

Under the full might of Visceral Attack, thousands of bloodstained armor fragments erupted from Ballard's body.

Reflecting the light, they looked like a crystal waterfall, extraordinarily brilliant.

At the same time, a sharp blade with an indistinct edge thrust toward Fu Qian's chest.

Knowing his death was certain, Ballard had impressively seized this final opportunity to force mutual destruction.

Simultaneously, a wolf's head bristling with sharp fangs lunged at him, accompanied by spider silk that quietly crept up his greaves, rooting him in place.

Though their reactions were slightly slower, Akasha and her companion also struck, their coordination surprisingly seamless.

Unfortunately, this clearly held no meaning for Ballard's fate.

The spraying mirror fragments didn't even fly very far. Before they could touch the ground, they vanished without warning.

The same happened to the blade that had already pierced Fu Qian's Black Mirror Armor.

Because their master, Ballard, had completely ceased to exist.

And just as he had suspected, under the force of Visceral Attack, Ballard didn't even leave behind a corpse. He had completely dissipated on every conceivable level.

But not every attack shared that fate.

In the next instant, half of Fu Qian's neck—along with his outer armor—was directly torn away by a massive maw.

A Crystal Demigod's offensive power was indeed quite formidable.

The ensuing blast of extreme cold even sealed the wound outright, preventing a single drop of blood from spraying.

He didn't counterattack, nor did he even try to dodge.

In the face of this, Fu Qian simply reached up with a hand and carefully steadied his drooping head.

Almost simultaneously, the two demigods unexpectedly halted their pincer attack.

Akasha looked in confusion at the mess strewn across the floor. Her bone claws, which were already wrapped around Fu Qian's arm, made no further moves.

"What did you do?"

A moment later, she asked instinctively.

"Something bad."

Fu Qian nodded and actually sat back down, brazen as could be.

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