Chapter 62: A Faint Glimmer in the Universe

A Faint Glimmer in the Universe

Azathoth!

A powerful entity from another world!

The left arm, right eye, and heart obtained by Jiang Ren were all parts of its true form, manifestations of all the transcendent powers within the "dome," and transformed from the power of its origin.

Due to certain reasons.

Azathoth was gravely injured and on the verge of death, accidentally arriving in this ordinary and mundane technological world.

With injuries too severe and forced into slumber, it created this "dome" that isolated the inside from the outside, transforming its origin power into pure transcendent force and dispersing it throughout the "dome."

It hoped that upon its eventual awakening one day, it could use the living beings within the "dome" as an energy source to repair its fragmented and decaying origin, and return to its peak.

Among the extra memories, those concerning Azathoth's original world were scarce.

Jiang Ren could only deduce from those fragmented memories that in its original world, it was called—

A demon!

"A demon? A demon hunter?"

Jiang Ren finally understood why this world was clearly named "Demon Hunter," yet hunting those dangerous species was also effective.

Because those dangerous species possessing transcendent abilities were themselves transformed from a portion of the demon's origin.

From beginning to end, the only demon he needed to hunt was one.

"However... this is somewhat tricky."

Jiang Ren looked ahead at the light and shadow that had frozen since he began reminiscing.

That was the soul avatar of the demon Azathoth.

Just as the other party had said, "I am you, and you are me." Having been born with the demon's left arm, he had been of one body with this demon from the very beginning.

It was just that the other party was the main soul, while he was merely a dispensable split soul.

After a moment of thought, Jiang Ren cast his gaze toward the edge of the space.

His vision instantly elevated.

A unique perspective appeared within his perception.

Jiang Ren saw the body he had controlled for twenty-one years. At this moment, it was situated within a blood-red pillar of light, the clothing on his body already pulverized and vanished by the violent energy.

His fragile body hair was also gone, leaving a bald head with no eyebrows.

Jiang Ren looked at Azathoth and asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"Having viewed those memories, you should know that only by harvesting all life on this continent can I barely recover thirty percent of my origin. And if I wish to fully recover, I must harvest all life on this planet."

Azathoth paused, its tone somewhat cheerful, "I know you might find it a bit hard to accept these things in such a short time, but don't worry, we are originally one. When I fully recover, that will be the moment you merge into my soul."

"Merge?"

Jiang Ren was somewhat curious about what would happen if the other party merged his soul into it.

Instant death?

Or being trapped in this world forever?

However, compared to these, Jiang Ren was currently more concerned with another matter: "Are you planning to use those mutated creatures to harvest life?"

Although Azathoth could forcibly plunder life energy to repair its origin, it had a minor restriction.

It could not be living creatures.

"No, no, no, that is far too troublesome."

Azathoth wagged an index finger and said, "The humans of this world have manufactured many weapons capable of killing themselves. Compared to harvesting slowly, I prefer using those weapons."

With that, it added another sentence: "Before I recover thirty percent of my strength."

"Is that so..."

Jiang Ren stopped speaking and turned his attention to the outside world.

He had to admit that his sensation at this moment was marvelous, much like when he had just swallowed the blood-red single eye, able to sense every subtle change within a certain region.

And now, everything within the "dome" was laid bare before him without exception.

Those special monsters transformed from madmen, as well as the dangerous species that had mastered transcendent powers, were further converted into his eyes and ears.

Jiang Ren knew very well that these all stemmed from Azathoth's power.

After decades of preparation, even though its origin power had not yet reached ten percent of its peak period, it was sufficient to control everything within the "dome."

However, although Jiang Ren could borrow its power to observe the outside world, he could not control it.

"Is it starting?"

Jiang Ren felt a premonition, and countless images surfaced in his consciousness.

Above military bases hidden in sparsely populated areas, which controlled nuclear weapons, violent energy suddenly erupted, instantly transforming everyone inside who had escaped the erosion of the blood moon into "puppets."

"In the face of absolute power, any action is merely futile."

Jiang Ren calmly watched all this. When an ordinary technological world encounters a powerful entity from a transcendent world, it possesses almost no capacity for resistance.

Compared to lambs led to the slaughter, they were perhaps even inferior.

...

Yorda State, Leilia.

One of the federation's most prosperous cities.

It featured a four-hundred-meter-tall Empire Building, a landmark of the city. Countless enterprises considered it an honor to be stationed there, and many internet celebrities also treated it as a must-visit check-in spot.

At this moment, the sound of gunfire continuously echoed near ground level.

On the first floor, and at some windows from the second to the tenth floors, a group of fully armed soldiers wearing special equipment resembling VR glasses were shooting at monsters approaching the building one after another.

These monsters, formed by the fusion of madmen, were very powerful.

Yet, in the face of the metal storm formed by massive firepower, they were still blasted into sieges, thoroughly dead.

Occasionally, a few extremely fast, highly defensive monsters with special abilities broke through the blockade, only to be stopped before the building by two people.

Taking advantage of reloading intervals, soldiers would from time to time aim the real-time display on their helmets at the two people outside.

A primary school student carrying a schoolbag.

A woman with skin as white as snow, both alluring and innocent.

*Snap!*

A hand of darkness slapped a slender, inhuman monster into a bloody pulp, then swiftly retracted into the schoolbag.

The primary school student carrying the schoolbag uninterestingly licked a lollipop in his hand, looked at the monsters continuously swarming toward the building, and sighed, "We've been killing for so long, how come it feels like there are more and more of these things?"

"You could wait until daytime, maybe these monsters will disappear then?"

Not far away, Bilice, sitting on a leather armchair and intently looking at her phone, said without raising her head.

The primary school student looked up at the blood moon and rubbed his head, "Wait for dawn? A few hours ago this moon was in this position, and now it's still in this position. If I wait for it to get bright, I'll die waiting!"

Bilice did not reply, still staring at her phone.

Seeing this, the primary school student couldn't help asking, "You've been looking at your phone for a while now, is it really that absorbing?"

"Jiang's livestream channel."

Bilice nodded, a faint smile on her face, and turned her phone screen over to show him.

"A demon? Why don't I see anyone?"

Although the screen flashed before the primary school student's eyes for less than half a second, it was enough for him to see that there was only a huge blood-red pillar of light inside, with no trace of Jiang Ren.

"Inside that pillar of light."

Bilice stared intently at the livestream interface; although she couldn't see Jiang Ren, she still couldn't bear to look away.

In the distance, another monster broke through the blockade.

*Snap!*

The primary school student rushed forward quickly, hammered the monster to pieces, came back, and asked, "Where is that pillar of light? Why is there such a thing?"

Bilice replied, "Sefidal. As for why there is a pillar of light, I'm not sure either, but I have a feeling it might be related to the moon turning red."

*Crunch!*

The primary school student crushed the lollipop in his mouth.

He half-believed Bilice's words.

However, based on his understanding of Jiang, every action Jiang took had a strong purpose. Even if that red pillar of light had nothing to do with the moon turning red, it shouldn't be very important, he thought.

*Puff!*

Suddenly, both the primary school student and Bilice were attracted by a light coming from the side.

The light grew larger and larger.

Seconds later, the light soared into mid-air, and a dark red mushroom cloud appeared.

"A nuclear bomb!"

Seeing this, the primary school student couldn't help cursing angrily, "There are still so many survivors in the city, which madman actually launched a nuclear bomb?!"

Bilice's voice came over: "I think what we should be paying more attention to right now is the question of whether we can still survive."

The primary school student followed Bilice's gaze and saw another mushroom cloud rising in the distance.

And then.

A third, a fourth, a fifth...

Nuclear bomb after nuclear bomb exploded in the surrounding cities.

The chain reaction caused by the explosions caused violent tremors in the city where they were located. Hundreds of soldiers and thousands of survivors hidden inside the Empire Building couldn't help but let out terrified screams.

At this moment.

The primary school student said nothing, only silently looked up at the sky directly overhead, and raised a middle finger.

"What a pity."

Bilice pouted slightly, looking at the still image on her phone screen, feeling somewhat unhappy.

She always firmly believed that if anyone could save the world, it had to be Jiang, but unfortunately, she wouldn't get to see it.

How she longed to see Jiang one more time, how she longed to see her twenty-one treasures one more time...

*Boom rumble!!!*

A missile carrying a nuclear warhead detonated in the skies above the city.

The scorching white light and terrifying high temperature instantly turned the primary school student and Bilice, along with the nearby Empire Building and buildings within thousands of meters around, into ashes.

Missile after missile carrying nuclear warheads flew out.

Bombarding this continent of over two thousand square kilometers, home to hundreds of millions of people.

When the last mushroom cloud dissipated, not a single living person or monster could be seen in the originally prosperous and bustling city, leaving only giant craters of varying depths and radiation floating above the city.

The only place where people still survived was Sefidal, the city where the red pillar of light was located.

"Dead, they're all dead..."

Mike and Robert leaned against the wall with vacant eyes as they watched the livestream channel disconnect due to a lost signal.

In just a few dozen minutes, they watched the viewer count in the livestream plummet rapidly, and netizens who claimed to have witnessed the nuclear blasts never had the chance to send a second message.

*Thud!*

A thunderous roar echoed.

Mike instinctively pulled open the curtains and looked in the direction of the sound, toward the location of the red pillar of light, only to discover that a gigantic figure thousands of meters tall had actually appeared there.

It had a human shape, but its skin was a dark red color resembling molten lava, with two curved horns growing on its head, wearing a battle armor made of an unknown material covered in complex rune patterns.

Its appearance resembled a demon from certain television and movie dramas, yet it was distinctly more powerful and mysterious.

"Why does he look a bit like Jiang?"

Mike muttered to himself. Hearing the sound, Robert also couldn't help but come to the window.

"Weak and ignorant mortals, my name is Azathoth. To be able to meet me in the vast expanse of worlds is your honor..."

Azathoth opened its sharp-toothed mouth and raised its head slightly.

Although there was no one in the sky, it could sense that the humans of this world were observing it from the sky through many "little toys."

Aside from Robert, Mike, and some survivors in this city who witnessed this scene,

there were also government officials of various countries who had monitored this continent using satellites and various technological means ever since it was isolated by special power over thirty years ago, and even civilian organizations and individuals.

"Rejoice! Celebrate! You are about to become a part of me, Azathoth, the greatest demon in history!"

Azathoth spread its arms, channeling the origin power within its body.

Violent bursting sounds erupted from the city below; the earth rapidly split open, countless buildings collapsed, and streams of fiery red magma gushed forth from the depths of the earth, turning the city into a sea of magma in the blink of an eye.

Including Robert and Mike, the survivors in this city only had time to emit a few screams before being swallowed by the magma filled with transcendent power, instantly turning into white bones.

At the same time.

Volcanic magma scattered across various parts of the planet began to churn violently, whether stable or unstable, reacting as if a strong catalyst had been added, making the magma increasingly active.

Countless volcanoes erupted.

Despair, fear, helplessness...

All humans and creatures encountered a catastrophic disaster. Facing the nearly endless special magma, they could organize no resistance at all, and awaiting death seemed to be the best ending.

Countless intercontinental missiles soared into the sky.

All targets pointed directly at the region that had been separately "imprisoned" for more than thirty years.

Although it had no real effect, this was already the only counterattack the humans of this ordinary world could muster against the demon coming from another realm.

Seven days later.

The planet's surface was covered in magma.

Looking at it from a glance, it resembled a small sun.

"Power, truly intoxicating!"

Azathoth bathed in the magma, raised its head and spread its arms, its face full of pleasure.

Closing its eyes, it entered the temporarily created consciousness space, looked at Jiang Ren, who was sitting on the ground不知道 when, and smiled, "Come, embrace me and merge into one with me!"

"There is something you might not know."

Jiang Ren stood up, patted the non-existent dust on his pants, and said indifferently, "Actually, I can also control this body, but the time is very short, so I've been waiting for you to recover."

"What do you mean?"

Azathoth's smile instantly froze. It wanted to withdraw from the space, only to find that it had lost control of its body.

"I just wanted to know how powerful an entity like you is at its ultimate strike."

Outside, Jiang Ren chuckled softly, controlling the origin power to initiate a self-detonation.

"Stop! No..."

Azathoth, trapped within the consciousness space, was filled with terror, watching helplessly as its own origin power exploded violently, the terrifying energy instantly swallowing it whole.

In the dark and boundless universe, a faint glimmer emerged...

Chapter 2-in-1
(End of this chapter)