’Most of my moves required magic to use, and since I lost my cultivation, I lost 90% of my powers because of that. I tried to cultivate a new formation, but it didn’t work. My cultivation was devoured to the core. So unless I leave this mortal realm and use another cultivation method, I am no stronger than a 10-year-old at their peak.’
’And… I just used my strongest magic move. Without magic, it sucked my life force…’
Deus dropped to his knees, but he stood up again and muttered, “This is bad. At this rate… I will…”
Deus had already expected Icarus’ next move, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
Icarus snapped his fingers and created not 100, but 1000 of his clones that were stronger than the last ones. He was undefeatable as long as the sun existed, but without the sun, the world was fated to be doomed in darkness for eternity.
Zach had never felt so hopeless before. Even though he knew that he was watching a memory from a different perspective, he wanted to save them, or at least, fight alongside them.
The 1000 Icarus clones landed and surrounded them, just like before. They dashed at Xie Lua and Lyda, who could fight, but they ran past them.
”…!”
Their target was Erza who couldn’t fight.
”No!”
Xie Lua, Lyda, and Deus rushed at Erza to protect her and the kids, but it was too late.
A mere three people couldn’t possibly win against 1000, who were the incarnations of the sun god, evenly matched in strength and strong enough to annihilate cities with ease.
Xie Lua used her Phoenix’s powers to burn them, but her fire was too dormant for the fire of the sun.
Erza spread her wings and tried to fly away to protect Zach and Zoe, but the clones jumped one over another and pulled Erza down by grabbing her wings.
Erza hugged Zach and Zoe tightly and covered them with her wings, forming a ball-like structure.
The clones started burning and plucking Erza’s wings, but the only thing she was worried about was the safety of Zach and Zoe, even though she was experiencing agonizing pain.
CLAP!
Deus clapped his hands again and raised his finger in the air before gazing at the clones with a lifeless glare in his eyes.
”Disappear!”
A second after Deus uttered that, all the clones ceased to exist.
Deus dropped to his knees but was unable to get up this time. The move had used a considerable about of his life force, and he could barely keep his eyes open.
[How many times will you use the same move again and again?] Icarus remarked. [As I said a while ago, you will eventually run out of power.]
”…”
[That’s the difference between you mortals and a god. Your growth is limited, and no matter how hard you try, you can never be a god.]
Icarus snapped once again, this time creating 10,000 of his clones, and obviously, stronger than the last time.
[I can also use the same move again and again, and still kill you all with minimal effort. I can’t wait for you all to lose all your powers and lay helplessly, as I kill you all one by one in front of your eyes. It will be so much fun, so satisfying to watch, as you grovel and beg me for mercy. And in return, I will show you despair!]
Deus raised his head and looked at Lyda with an emotionless expression on his face.
”Reverse my body time,” he said.
”Are you out of your mind?! I already used it thrice on you, anymore, and you will—”
”Please…”
”Reversing your body time is not going to bring back your life force, you know? My power doesn’t undo the living things, otherwise, it would create Cosmic Impacts.”
”I know…”
Lyda made a painful expression on her face and reluctantly reversed the time of Deus’ body.
While the pain and injury had vanished from Deus’ body, he was still feeling exhausted and powerless.
The 10,000 clones that Icarus launched at them, landed directly in front of Erza. But without thinking about the consequences and wasting even a single second, Deus clapped his hands and snapped his fingers.
”Be no more.”
The 10,000 clones turned into ashes and vanished into thin air.
Deus had used up almost all of his life force, and he was in an extremely vulnerable state. Even a simple stab could kill him and make him unable to heal.
Lyda’s power would no longer work on him as his body had nothing to grow back. It had become hollow from the inside.
[Hah! A futile attempt of a worthless mortal!] Icarus laughed out loud.
At that moment, the kid Zach, who had been unconscious all this time, finally opened his eyes. And the first thing he saw was tears in Erza’s eyes.
He found himself covered under Erza’s stunning white wings, which were burned and plucked out. He saw blood dripping from her wings.
He slowly moved his hand towards Erza’s face and wiped her tears.
”Mother…”
After noticing Zach was awake, Erza hugged him and said, “Don’t worry, everything is alright.”
Zach’s gaze fell on Deus, who was barely managing to stand still.
”….”
[Ahahahaha!]
He heard Icarus laughing and mocking Deus’ current state.
”….”
Zach’s head automatically moved up, and he looked at the sun with his wide eyes, where Icarus was sitting.
[…!]
Icarus noticed a murderous glare, so he glanced at Deus, Xie Lua, and Lyda, but couldn’t find the glare. Then, he looked at Zach, who was staring deep into his soul.
[He is truly a threat to all existence!]
When Icarus said he was there to end the threat, he was not talking about Deus, but he was referring to Zach, who was merely 8 years old at that time.