"Swish——!"
The gleaming edge of the scythe almost grazed the baby's nose, creating a ferocious tear in the black-and-white world around them.
"Damn you! An ambush, huh?!"
The raven cursed, opening its beak to spout a series of foul-mouthed bird language insults.
The God of Death did not respond, slowly stepping through the rift, its figure appearing on the horizon, an indistinct silhouette filled with an oppressive presence, its massive form cloaked in a tattered robe.
Its scarlet eyes were fixed intently on the baby. It did not speak or take any unnecessary actions, merely swinging the scythe—this was its will, its judgment.
"Crunch——"
As the scythe chopped down once more, an ear-piercing ripping sound echoed in the air. The rules of death concentrated on the blade, this strike would surely sever all life!
However.
The raven was faster than the God of Death. It quickly flapped its wings, dodging to the side at the critical moment, the scythe grazing its feathers, causing a black feather to gently fall.
Just a little bit more, just a little bit.
But it ultimately evaded.
"Ha!" The raven laughed loudly, with a hint of mockery in its voice, "Old guy, are you scared? Scared that I'll really come back to life? Old Deng was just as afraid of being replaced."
The God of Death did not respond, only raising the scythe once more, its eyes cold as an abyss.
"Siiiiize——!"
Countless Dementors surged from all sides, their rotting cloaks engulfing the God of Death like a tide. They lacked reason, lacked fear, possessing only absolute obedience to the raven.
But who was the God of Death?
It was the embodiment of the end of all things, the ruler of all souls' ultimate destination.
The Dementors, though strong, were nothing but shadows of the Misty Illusion Realm, a servant race stolen from it. With a sweep of its scythe, hundreds of Dementors disintegrated into dust in the blade glow.
The God of Death continued to sweep with the scythe, sending out a ripple of death, the front row of a dozen Dementors shattered instantly, turning into dots of black mist, dissipating in the air.
Dementors, feared by wizards, seemed as fragile as straw here.
No matter how many more.
They were no more than ants.
Yet, more Dementors pushed forward like a black torrent, layer upon layer wrapping around the God of Death, attacking in groups like an ever-tightening net.
Trapping the God of Death within.
Their forms transformed into black whirlwinds, madly rotating around the God of Death, their bony claws tearing at its cloak, their empty bellies devouring the aura of death.
Some even exploded directly.
Using decaying bodies to obstruct the God of Death's steps.
Obviously.
The Dementors were relentlessly fearless.
Attempting to suppress this supreme being with sheer numbers.
"You all… move aside." The God of Death was completely submerged, its massive body hindered by the Dementors' siege. Although these creatures of the Death Realm couldn't cause real harm to it, their sheer numbers, dense and swarming, almost encircled it. They could not truly harm the God of Death but could delay its actions.
Every second of hesitation was time the raven seized.
"Caw hahaha! Is this all? Is this all?!
The raven flapped its wings triumphantly, carrying the baby further away, not forgetting to taunt, "God of Death, brother, your skills are lacking!"
"Next time, Bird Lord will teach you a couple of moves!"
Saying so.
The raven turned its gaze back to Ian.
"See this? Controlling fate, controlling everything, all is within my plan. I'm like holding the script of a screenwriter, this is the rascal nature of destiny."
What it said wasn't directed at Ian for help, seemingly just thoroughly showing off. Ian stood afar, witnessing all this, feeling at a loss for words.
He numbly observed the scene.
Suddenly feeling that his worldview had been repeatedly crushed and reassembled today.
The raven… really used the heart of the Creator and the organs of the Titan to create a baby body for itself, then boldly fled in front of the God of Death?
What counts as this?
The strongest rebirth technique in the magic realm?!
While he was in chaos, the raven's figure had already become a black dot on the horizon, only the arrogant cries were still echoing——
"Bird Lord is off! God of Death, you take your time!"
The God of Death's furious roar came from the pile of Dementors, but was quickly drowned by more Dementors. Ian stood there in silence for a long time, finally uttering slowly.
"That damn bird is a fucking genius."
He finally understood one thing.
The God of Death wasn't just trying to destroy the volcano, wasn't just trying to stop the raven's creation.
What it feared was the raven truly being reborn as a human.
Because once the raven had a new body, it would become a real "variable". And to the God of Death, this meant losing control, and also meant… the collapse of a certain order.
The authority belonging to the God of Death would collapse.
Of course, it wouldn't allow such a thing to occur. Of course, perhaps it wasn't just that, but Ian could only perceive just this much.
"Or maybe, once the raven is reincarnated, it can have unlimited potential? A higher future?" Ian could only guess, and under his gaze, the raven flew higher and higher.
The raven's wings pierced the sky, disappearing into the lead-gray clouds.
The God of Death stood on the rubble.
The black robe flapped.
In the hollow eye sockets, ghostly green flames burned.
Its roar turned into a tangible sound wave, spreading like a tidal wave of black ripples, where it passed, Dementors exploded one after another, turning into a sky filled with drifting black ashes.
However.
Before the ashes settled.
In the void, new forms began to coalesce again.