Eternal Master: Path to Godlike Status-Chapter 34: Seal Part 5

When it completely devoured the serpent, its scales shimmered, becoming semi-translucent for a split second.

Anyone could tell it had undergone a qualitative change just now.

Rain watched with interest, fascinated by how it flew without wings. It defied physics—he saw no sign of air being displaced or bent as it moved. The creature treated the air as if it were solid ground.

"It’s pointless arguing with you. Before you die, know my name. I’m Haron—once a devoted husband, father to five beautiful children—until the church tore them from me without mercy."

Alicia showed no trace of guilt, her indifference making it clear how little she cared for his tragic story. Haron then turned to Rain. Not the casual, dismissive glance from earlier. This time he gave him a proper look.

"You’ve been quiet," his aged voice echoed.

"I’ve been entertained," Rain responded bluntly.

"Are you as insane as this woman who claims to own you?" Haron asked, chuckling darkly.

"I’m just sticking around until I’m strong enough to beat her."

Haron couldn’t help laughing. He noticed, too, that Alicia’s expression flickered with annoyance for the first time.

"Oh? So even a twisted woman like you can show emotion. It doesn’t really suit your personality," he remarked.

"Silence. You’re polluting the air with your dirty breath," she snapped, her tone barely containing her frustration.

Haron wasted no more words. He tapped his cane three times in quick succession.

The giant worm’s mouth began to spin, propelling itself toward the winged avatar.

"Begone, heretic!" Alicia clasped her hands and began to pray.

The avatar responded, its wheel spinning as a wave of white light surged through the air—but the worm simply devoured it, unaffected.

Haron grinned. "Even holy light is nothing more than a meal to my beast. Do you honestly think we came here without considering your power, High Priest?"

"You may be prepared, but I doubt it will be enough," she chanted more prayers. "Holy Ray!"

The Angel shifted its attack pattern, beams of light shooting from its multiple eyes toward the worm’s scales instead of its mouth. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Each strikes staggered the creature, but the damage remained superficial.

"You’re adapting," Haron observed. "Good. I would hate for this to end too soon. After all the rumors I’ve heard about the great Alicia, I expect you to put up a proper fight against one of our secret weapons."

"You talk too much for a worthless heretic." Her aura flared, and the light in her eyes burned so much it erased her pupils completely.

Radiance began to seep through her skin, making her appear immaculate.

Power from her surged into the winged Avatar, forcing it to fire stronger white beams that pierced worm scales.

The attack worked—but only briefly. Scales began to heal.

Not as fast as Rain’s regeneration, yet enough to outlast the assault.

Without warning, the worm split apart.

Not cleanly — it ruptured at the midsection, the two halves sealing over instantly, each becoming its own creature, each mouth spinning with the same speed as the original.

The spectators took a single step back. Involuntarily.

Both worms attacked from opposite angles, making it harder for Alicia to strike them.

Then they split again, becoming four. One even lunged straight toward her.

"HOLY SHIELD!"

A white dome erupted around her, blocking the attack—but cracks quickly spread across its surface.

At the same moment, the winged summon fired a beam of light toward Haron.

He simply tapped his cane, raising a wall of skeletal remains from different beasts to protect himself.

"Is this all you’ve got?" Haron taunted. The exchange so far only made him more confident in his chances of winning.

Alicia stopped attacking and let her hands fall to her sides. She looked ready to surrender.

But she started laughing—so hard she had to cover her mouth.

"You’re surprisingly easy to fool for an old man. Do you really think you’re winning?"

Haron’s smile thinned slightly.

"You’re in no position to—"

Alicia lowered her hand from her mouth and flashed him a wide grin.

"I was just playing around." She slammed both palms together on the floor.

"HOLY GROUND."

The floor beneath her erupted upward in a ring of white stone, a cathedral of light erupting around her in an instant.

It empowered every priest nearby along with the winged summon.

Haron, the worm, and Rain felt something very different. To them it was like standing inside a furnace.

Rain suffered the worst of it. His skin boiled, blistered, and burst, spraying blood before knitting itself back together again.

Anyone else in his position would be screaming in agony.

Meanwhile, Haron wrapped dark smoke around his body to resist the effect, but the strain showed clearly. He could only rely on his worms to keep attacking.

This time, however, the winged summon fired far faster and struck with far greater power, practically shredding the worms to pieces.

CRACK.

A beam pierced Haron’s chest, forcing him to his knees. He pressed a hand against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding—but whatever struck him refused to let it close. Blood kept pouring through his fingers.

The remaining worms were soon destroyed.

Alicia drifted toward his stone cube, radiance surrounding her as she descended like a divine judge delivering punishment to a sinner.

"How does it feel," she stepped closer, that same cruel smile playing on her lips—the one she wore when watching others writhe in pain and agony, "to taste the illusion of victory... and then be forced to kneel before your enemy?"

Haron opened his mouth.

Blood came out first. He swallowed it, jaw tightening, and tried again.

"You think..." He exhaled slowly, steadying himself against the cane. His knuckles had gone white around it. "You think this changes anything?"