The roots of the World Tree, which had been standing in place for over 100,000 years, had already spread throughout the entire 3000 Beast Mountain Range. Their true number was uncountable.
And these exact roots had burst forth from the ground, swinging rapidly towards the millions of tentacles of the Heaven Swallowing Beast.
BOOOOOOOOM!
20 mountains were razed in the clash. Most beasts living on the ground level of the mountain range had already been turned to ash.
The clash lasted no more than an instant, not even enough time to be called a second, yet it still caused so much damage.
But the battle wouldn't end in a single clash, nor were the two Demigods willing to waste any more time talking.
Millions of roots from all directions sprung into the air, painting the sky in a greenish-brown color. The aura of the World Tree swelled as if it was about to burst, casting a great shadow on the world below.
'Undying Spirit.'
After adapting to his new body, Alaric hadn't been wasting his time idly. He had created many techniques to match his new form and mana, since his old ones were almost all useless at this point.
When he activated the Undying Spirit, the vitality spread across the 3000 Beast Mountain Range was withdrawn into the World Tree. Instead of radiating freely, it encompasses the branches and roots that were used for attacks, becoming a strong armor that couldn't be penetrated by normal means.
Those millions of roots covered the Heavens as they plunged towards the Heaven Swallowing Beast.
The Nox Demigod covered his tentacles in inky black mana. Control and adaptation to his new body was the one disadvantage he had against Alaric, but in turn, he had a far greater mana supply due to having bided his time and power until this moment to strike.
BAAAAAAANG!
The fortified roots clashed with the mana-clad tentacles once again. Pieces of both materials were ripped apart and crashed into the ground below, creating massive craters.
With every second that passed, thousands of clashes were exchanged between the two. Since their battle was taking place under so many constraints, they both were trying to end it as quickly as possible.
The ambient mana in the environment was starting to get influenced by the clash between Divinities. The environment itself seemed to match the disposition of these two beings.
Perhaps it was only due to the fact that their current forms restricted them so much. They didn't have much movement capability, if any at all. If it wasn't for that, the battle wouldn't have been contained so well within the mountain range like this.
The Nox Demigod was truly annoyed by his circumstance. If it wasn't for being unable to fully control his new body, he would've already won this battle.
But there was one thing he could use with confidence.
'Swallow…the Heavens.'
It was the bloodline talent of the Heaven Swallowing Beast, as well as its namesake.
The grotesque slimy mass began swirling like a black hole. A powerful suction force emanated, tearing apart mountains and the World Tree's roots as it swallowed everything in sight.
'Tch!' Alaric scoffed inwardly. Heaven Swallowing Beasts, they weren't exactly a species, but an overarching term for beasts that possessed the Heaven Swallowing Talent.
And such a talent, it was one of the best even when the entire universe was taken into consideration.
'I cannot hold back and allow this battle to draw out. I will be at a disadvantage the more it does, not to mention, the Myriad Illusion Veil will not be able to handle the stress.'
'Primeval Life Gate.'
The trunk of the World Tree split in two. From within the massive chasm that formed, a massive pearly white gate emerged. It was as if Alaric was inviting the Nox Demigod to Heaven.
But it was more apt to compare the move itself to hell.
When the gates opened, a sea of essence raged forth. Like a tsunami, that pure greenish-white Divine Essence flooded into the mountain range and encompassed everything.
The vitality within was no longer something refreshing and pure as it was once before. The way it was being used now, it was a poison.
The Nox Demigod immediately stopped using his Heaven Swallowing trait. Letting such vitality into his body was asking for a slow and painful death.
Instead, his mana bathed half the 3000 Beast Mountain Range in blackness.
'Return to Origin.'
Wap!
Whether it was the sea of essence, the World Tree's roots, or the denizens remaining in the half of the mountain range around the Nox Demigod, everything was banished to oblivion.
As if they never existed in the first place.
But the areas protected by Alaric's vitality and Life Essence were not affected by such erasure. Although a part of his Corrupted Vitality Sea remained, it had been reduced to a point where the Nox Demigod could deal with it.
But the pearly white gates didn't vanish. Instead of corrupted vitality, they began to spew out something else entirely.
Shining white beams of light emerged and stormed into the atmosphere like nuclear bombs. They rained down on the Nox Demigod's blackness like divine judgement.
SKREEEEEEEE!
The Heaven Swallowing Beast let out an inadvertent screech of pain. It was the first attack that had landed since their clash started.
Those odd beams of light ignored all common sense. Even when they randomly impacted a portion of the blackness, the damage they wrought was transferred onto the body of the Heaven Swallowing Beast.
[YOU BASTARD!]
The Nox Demigod roared. If it was any other attack, he wouldn't have been furious. But he recognized this one. This essence, it was infinitely similar to the essence that coated the arrows Alaric had struck him with all those years ago.
No matter how much he spoke about not having attachments and being indifferent, those 100,000 years he spent sealed weren't something he enjoyed at all.
The resentment he had burrowed in his heart so that he could proceed calmly with his plan of escape, it began bubbling up once more as Alaric provoked those old memories.
[Ha! It seems that even scum like you can make such an expression.]
Alaric scoffed. As he did so, he mobilized the roots of the World Tree. Coating them in that same shining white essence, he ceaselessly let off attacks.
And due to the unnatural property of that essence, he no longer had to aim for the Nox Demigod's main body.
The attacks landed anywhere. Even in areas behind the World Tree that weren't anywhere close to the area of combat. But without fail, the damage caused by that white essence burned into the Heaven Swallowing Beast, causing its size to decrease drastically.
[You…! You are already burning your lifespan to attack me!]
The Nox Demigod shouted as he realized it. It was a truly reckless move, something he never expected that his old enemy would pull. After all, with his current power, it wasn't necessary to do so as it was in the past.
But Alaric didn't mind the fact that his opponent figured out his trick. He was never planning to hide it in the first place.
[Did I not say it from the start? Even if I have to die today, I will make sure that you die with me.]
