740 Purgatory
Michael had no idea how much time passed. He could only tell that his insides were torn apart and burned to a cinder. At least, that's what it felt like as the white flames flooded his body.
However, Michael was not the only one in pain. His Curse released a terrifying roar that resounded through his insides. Yet, instead of sounding menacingly, the Curse sounded in pain. Even the World Serpent wasn't much different. It hissed in pain and wiggled around as if trying to escape the white flames.
Michael could endure the pain. It tore him apart and threatened to kill him, but Michael was certain that he was familiar enough with pain to tell that he would survive. However, his brother was different. Even Danny's Living Soul was affected by the white flames. It was unclear how the white flames managed to enter the Soul Grimoire, but they arrived at the Living Soul of his brother. That filled Michael's heart with worry.
Danny's scream tore through Michael's mind, affecting him severely. Michael didn't even think twice as he allowed the Curse and the World Serpent to do whatever had to be done to get rid of the blazing flames. Even if it would cost him a few body parts, Michael would sacrifice them without hesitation as long as the World Serpent of the Curse could keep Danny safe and sound.
Every second felt like aeons as the pained screams swept through Michael's entire being, but Michael calmed down just a little as he sensed that the World Serpent was about to use the opportunity to emerge and kill the crimson-haired man.
In the meantime, the situation around Michael didn't remain idle. The others didn't remain idle as his pained scream swept through the surroundings. The War Priestess appeared before the crimson-haired man with her glaive ready to sweep down and be drenched in blood. The Chieftain was also there alongside the Matriarchs of the Zenovia household and the Seraph family.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})They'd moved near simultaneously to stall the crimson-haired man and rescue Michael.
Crimson, the crimson-haired guy, noted the attackers and glared at the War Priestess with disgust. He didn't retrieve the Purgatory Flames that purified the corruption spreading through Michael. Instead, he lifted his other hand and manifested an Artifact. It was a simple-looking sword that didn't attract too much attention. The flickering flames engulfing Michael were much more apparent.
However, the Sword Artifact wasn't as simple as it looked like. Not in Crimson's hand, at least. He flicked and turned into a blur. Crimson disappeared from everyone's sight for a quarter of a second before he returned, his Sword Artifact drenched in blood.
The Seraph Matriarch observed that something was wrong at first. She was the most familiar with injuries and had a Soultrait that let her pinpoint the severity of wounds before they could be healed. Her healing method was highly efficient. Unfortunately, she had to sense a particular possibility that the wounded would survive. That wasn't the case right now.
The target's probability of survival was 0%.
She swallowed hard, her eyes falling upon the War Priestess, who suddenly slowed down. Her glaive crashed to the ground, and her legs caved in without warning. The War Priestess had been about to attack Crimson viciously, only to collapse to the ground, her arms slipping from her shoulder.
Her arms had been severed with two simple strikes that followed rapid thrusts and slices into her chest and abdomen. The cuts were made with deadly precision, inflicting deep wounds into her vital organs before the attacks ended with a clean strike through the War Priestess' throat.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})The War Priestess gaped for air, but nothing could be done anymore. Her body grew weaker by the second until she stopped moving altogether. The Leader of the Warlock Centaurs had been killed. She died just like that.
Katharina Zenovia attempted to freeze the War Priestess to rescue her, but she was too late. Crimson flicked a small Purgatory Flame toward the lifeless body, burning the remnants alive without any qualms.
It was only at this moment that everyone present realized that Crimson was on a different level than them. He was not a mere Higher Lifeform. The Purgatory Flames and his movements were not something an Higher Lifeform could create. They were something only Divine Lifeforms were supposed to be capable of. Higher Lifeforms weren't supposed to be this powerful.
Crimson was not a Higher Lifeform. It had been an eternity since he crossed that threshold.
He was already a Divine Lifeform!
Crimson was overjoyed at the sight of the burning remnants of the disgusting creature that had been daring enough to attack him. His devilish smile would have widened even further if it hadn't stretched from one ear to the other. His head flicked to the Zenovia and Seraph Matriarchs, and a small scowl plastered his face all of a sudden.
"Your minds have been corrupted. You cannot be salvaged anymore," He uttered in aversion before releasing two Purgatory Flames toward the two powerful women of High Society.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})The two women attempted to retreat, but the Purgatory Flames were faster. They arrived at the two women and began to burn the two women mercilessly. The flames expanded and were about to engulf the women when time slowed down.
The fabric of space was torn open next to Katharina Zenovia, and darkness gushed out of it. The darkness lunged at the Purgatory Flames, threatening to devour the women and engulf them. A fierce battle between the white Purgatory Flames and the darkness ensued. The Purgatory Flames looked like they were about to emerge victorious for a moment, but the darkness expanded as it drained the energy within the Purgatory Flames.
Katharina Zenovia and Giuliana Seraph slumped to the ground, their legs losing the last bits of energy residing within them. Their attention pulled to Michael, surrounded by tendrils of darkness that devoured the Purgatory Flames coating him.
He took a deep breath, and his legs were about to cave in after the last traces of the Purgatory Flames had been drained, but he didn't surrender to the desire to fall asleep. Instead, Michael materialized Archangel's Grace alongside Heavenly Realm to swiftly tend to his wounds.
He consumed thousands of SoulStar Fragments to tend to the Living Soul, which had been on the verge of burning into particles of ash and smoke. It was not enough to fully heal Danny, but the Living Soul was no longer in danger.
A heavy sigh escaped Michael, whose entire being was overflowing with anger and wrath. However, now Michael wasn't the only one angry. His Curse and the World Serpent were even angrier than Michael could ever be. Michael was, at least, capable of protecting himself with all his might. The Curse and the World Serpent were weakened drastically by being sealed within him.
Even the World Serpent couldn't tap into the full extent of its power while residing within Michael. However, manifesting its real body would attract too much attention. Beings it couldn't handle after being injured would come after it.
The World Serpent couldn't afford to show its true prowess.
Fortunately, that was not necessary.
Rescue had already come.
