Finally, Roman was unleashing the power he had hesitated to touch.
The situations and circumstances were no longer those where he could do as he pleased. He was forced now pushed to the edge by the weight of the world crumbling around him. The Shadow System had received his approval, and it responded instantly.
Fallen God's power increased to 10%.
The surge came within seconds a tidal wave of divine energy that erupted from Roman's core and flooded every fiber of his being. His body arched backward as the power coursed through him, his veins glowing with intense golden light. The physical torment was immediate and unbearable the weight of the power, the weight of his responsibility as the Warherald, pressing down on him like a mountain.
His physical appearance began to change. His aura blazed brighter than ever before a sun on the verge of exploding, radiating heat and light that warped the air around him. His Archon Sword hummed with divine energy, its blade brimming with intense gold aura, ready to serve and kill anyone who stood in its way.
Those who witnessed the transformation were stunned. Knights, paladins, soldiers all of them felt the surge of power ripple through the battlefield. They knew something big was about to happen.
But only Selena saw the truth.
Her eyes, sharp and trained, caught the cracks forming along Roman's veins. The aura was filling him from within, splitting his skin like the first dungeon breakout. Her heart plummeted.
"ROMAN, DON'T DO IT!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "IT'S BREAKING YOU! YOU HAVE TO STOP! YOU'RE HARMING YOURSELF!"
Her voice cut through the chaos, desperate and raw. But Roman didn't even look at her. His gaze was fixed forward fixed on the dungeon gate.
He started walking.
Each step was deliberate, measured. Monsters nearby were killed instantly as he passed their bodies disintegrating without Roman raising a finger. The golden aura radiating from him was enough to annihilate anything that drew too close.
But it wasn't enough. For every monster that died, another hundred emerged from the dungeon gates, ready to unleash hell.
Roman launched himself into the air, soaring toward the dungeon gate. He landed before it with earth-shattering force and raised his fist concentrating all his divine power into a single, devastating blow.
He punched.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the dungeon. The first hit killed countless monsters inside, their bodies disintegrating in waves. Roman didn't stop. He pressed both hands against the gate's surface and tried to tear it open to force his way inside and end this battle once and for all.
He put everything he had into it. The golden aura around him blazed brighter than ever.
But from within the dungeon, a massive fist shot out.
It connected with Roman's face, sending him flying backward. He crashed through the battlefield like a comet, his body carving a trench through the earth. His divine aura flickered and then faded entirely.
Roman lay unconscious.
Selena screamed. Jacob shouted. They ran toward him with everything they had, their swords raised, their bodies shielding him from the monsters that swarmed forward. The knights followed, the paladins followed everyone who was still standing formed a protective barrier around their fallen Warherald.
The situation was getting worse.
Far to the east, in the Eastern Territories, Gabriel Velk and his unit had finally arrived.
What they saw was beyond comprehension.
The battlefield was a graveyard but not like any they had ever witnessed. Bodies littered the ground in pieces. Limbs were scattered like fallen leaves. Heads were separated from torsos. Torsos were missing arms, legs, entire sections of their bodies. The carnage was so horrific that even the veteran paladins, who had seen countless battles, began to vomit.
Gabriel's jaw tightened. His hands trembled as he surveyed the massacre.
"Search for survivors," he ordered, his voice barely steady. "Heal them if you can."
The paladins spread out, their divine senses scanning for any sign of life.
Then a barrage of swords came flying toward them.
"COVER YOURSELVES WITH DIVINE SHIELDS!" Gabriel shouted.
The paladins raised their barriers just in time. The swords clattered against the golden light, deflected but not defeated. Gabriel turned toward the source of the attack.
From the shadows emerged a figure an old man, nearly sixty years of age, his robes flowing with an elegance that spoke of centuries of tradition. His beard was long and white, his eyes sharp and piercing. Behind him stood a group of warriors, their swords drawn, their faces hard with suspicion.
"So, the bastards have come," the old man said, his voice cold. "Even when we told you not to."
Gabriel stepped forward, his hands raised in a gesture of peace.
"We are here to lend a hand," he said firmly. "To save people. Not to wage war. We come as allies, not enemies."
A young warrior stepped forward, his sword raised toward Gabriel's throat.
"Show some respect," the warrior snarled. "Mind what you say. You stand before the leader of the Mount Hua Sect Sect Leader Jeong Myeong."
Gabriel's eyes widened slightly. The Mount Hua Sect. He had heard whispers of them warriors from the Murium world, masters of the sword, their skills legendary.
He bowed his head slightly, his voice respectful.
"Sect Leader Jeong Myeong. We are not here to fight. We are here to help. The monsters threaten all of us your people and ours. Let us join forces, or we will all fall."
The Sect Leader's eyes narrowed.
The silence stretched.
And the monsters roared in the distance.