Chosen Evolution: I can load the protagonist template

Chapter 849 The Metamorphosis of the Demon Gauntlet

"Click click click click click~~~~"

As the figurehead skull mimicked its master's high-speed jaw-striking motion, a burst of intense hellfire erupted from the inside of the tattered sails on the mast.

If it weren't for the fact that the overall design still retains the appearance of an ancient ship, the way it launches itself with fire would look like a space warship from a science fiction world.

Accompanied by a powerful push, everyone, whether on deck or in the cabin, instinctively grabbed onto anything they could hold onto. The Hellfire warship, which had already separated from the warship's arrowhead, accelerated and accelerated again.

All the Black Spirit Mountain units that tried to intercept the Hellfire warships along the way didn't even qualify as slowing reefs; they were all smashed into a shower of fiery fragments by the charging warships.

As the bodies of the Black Spirit Mountain soldiers were shattered, their souls were also shattered along with them.

But unlike before, the shattered soul was unsurprisingly entangled in hellfire that could both burn the body and ignite the soul.

The souls absorbed by the Demon Gauntlet were transformed into special resources that Cheng Tian could consume, while the souls entangled by the Hellfire became fuel and catalysts.

It can be considered as setting off fireworks in a certain sense.

After the evil souls are burned away, the innocent people who were harmed by these souls will leave behind their most sincere, heartfelt gratitude!

In other words, as this Hellfire transport ship charges in a crushing manner, the fragments of souls that are smashed and fly everywhere will eventually fall from the sky in the shape of innocent souls shaped like hearts.

At the same time that Hellfire was reshaping the enchanted warship, Cheng Tian's Ghost Gauntlets were also infused with Hellfire.

The gauntlets, which were originally exclusive protective gear for Onimusha, suddenly became even more ferocious, and their power to absorb and sweep away shattered souls instantly increased to a whole new level!
The soul-absorbing enhancement, a full level higher, directly broke the balance of soul absorption between him and Mad Dizang.

However, even more bizarre than breaking the balance of soul absorption was that the numerous soul fragments that had been refined into heart-shaped innocent souls by being struck by fireworks were also drawn by the powerful suction of the Hellfire Cage, following the charging Hellfire warship. From an observer's perspective, the Hellfire warship beneath Cheng Tian's feet, which looked like a villain's mount, was advancing at high speed with a heart-shaped tail flame that seemed to belong only to magical girls...

This scene is already a bizarre moment worthy of being recorded in the history of the Chosen Space.

At this moment, Cheng Tian was extremely happy, so happy that fire was constantly shooting from his mouth and eye sockets. Since he lacked facial muscles and skin to express his emotions, he could only use the fire of his soul to replace it.

Faced with the overwhelming yet bizarrely strange Hellfire warships charging forward, even Mad Jizo's eyes clearly regained their clarity.

But what's most puzzling is his choice at this moment.

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva neither dodged nor attacked. Facing the charge of the Hellfire warship, he actually opened his arms as if to embrace the Hellfire warship whose figurehead was still spewing fire.

At that moment, Jizo, who was originally marked in red in terms of hostile reputation, suddenly turned into pure yellow, representing neutrality!
In this world, the interpretation of "I will not become a Buddha until hell is empty" has been transformed into "As long as hell is not empty, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva has no need to become a Buddha."

In other words, this hell filled with confused souls is actually a buffer zone used by Ksitigarbha to delay as much as possible, avoid becoming a Buddha in the future, and thus indirectly sever ties with Black Spirit Mountain.

It was precisely because he was keenly aware that the gods and Buddhas of this world relied on exploiting humans to obtain spiritual essence in exchange for the path of cultivation and the method of immortality, yet he still could not confront Black Spirit Mountain head-on, that Ksitigarbha, who had always been suppressed within the system, suddenly had a string in his mind snap at a certain point.

When the string breaks, the person goes mad.

This scene, however, brought Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva back to his senses from his madness.

Cheng Tian's appearance was indeed terrifying, more monstrous than countless demons, but the way he manifested his power presented a stark contrast. His destructive power manifested as a burning judgment of evil, inspiring deep gratitude from the very depths of the souls of those innocent people who had been harmed by evil spirits in their previous lives.

This was something Ksitigarbha had never seen before, and it was what he, both lucid and mad, longed for.

If it were you, perhaps you could bring peace to the innocent souls.

I am indeed a little tired...

Having completely abandoned all defenses, Ksitigarbha simply allowed the Hellfire warship to crush him.

The jewel that had previously been able to counterbalance the Demon Gauntlet, and even slightly surpass it, transformed into an arc in the air and landed almost precisely on Cheng Tian's raised left hand, embedding itself seamlessly into the Demon Eye.

A notification panel immediately popped up in front of Cheng Tian's eyes.

[In accordance with the last wishes of the Mad Jizo, the special item "Jizo Orb" has been automatically inlaid into your extra weapon "Oni Gauntlets"—]

[The Demon Gauntlet is undergoing a transformation—]

[Transformation successful.]

[Demon Gauntlet - Advanced - Demon Jizo Gauntlet.]

【Ghost Jizo Cage Gauntlets: Golden Legendary/Lv-, Armguard, Magic Weapon, Template Armor. Equipment Requirements: Soul Bound.】

Originally a medium and symbol representing the pact between the demon race and the human realm, it underwent a qualitative change after being inlaid with the jewel of the Mad Jizo, gaining the special effects of controlling, using, protecting, and regenerating soul units.

When you and your minions or allies kill any enemy unit, there is a chance to obtain additional Soul Shards. The shard types are "Red Soul," "Yellow Soul," "Blue Soul," "Purple Soul," "Spirit Essence," and "Innocent Soul." (Infusion Enhancement)

Red Soul – (Omitted). When enhancing equipment, Soul Shards can be used as Chosen Coins at a 1:1 ratio. They can be used for key level enhancements, and theoretically, there is no enhancement cap.

Yellow Soul – details omitted. Can be stored separately and used by others, and can provide additional healing for some permanent physical damage.

Blue Soul – details omitted. Can be stored separately and used by others, and can provide additional healing for some permanent mental damage.

Purple Soul – details omitted. Can be used as a substitute for key resources, such as Ultimate Skill Beans.

Essence – Preserves the strongest abilities of the spirit in its previous life and transforms them into skills. As long as it is equipped, the corresponding ability can be used. You can only equip one active and one passive essence at a time, and you can only switch between them when you are not in combat.

Innocent Souls - details omitted. Equivalent to the 'Soul Salvation' skill.

When equipped with the "Oni Jizo Cage Gauntlets," you will gain the ability to traverse between realms in dungeons featuring concepts such as "Hell," "Netherworld," and "Nether Sea," and will also gain certain permissions related to the corresponding Hell realms, depending on the dungeon.

[Additional comment: Mad Ksitigarbha is exhausted and has dumped the job of guarding hell and purifying souls onto you. The Ten Kings of Hell have mixed feelings.]

(End of this chapter)