Forge a path to success.

Chapter 401 The End of Power, A Fickle Heart

The giant fist magnified in Parriman's vision.

Like a mountain collapsing, like the sky crashing down, the concentrated willpower created an unshakeable "strength." The Burning Fist pierced through 74 layers of magical energy protection, instantly slamming Parriman from the sky to the ground!

"—Burning Night!"

The shockwave from the impact shattered the ground into dust, clearing away flesh and roots within a three-thousand-meter radius. The demonic corruption was swept away by his willpower, and the delusions of unrequited love could not disturb this man's strength.

Parriman forced himself to his feet like a puppet, spinning his spear. His spear thrust formed an impenetrable barrier, impenetrable even to the most omnipresent spiritual power. However, as he rose, Huan Ge had already landed, his massive body sinking into the sand and kicking up a cloud of dust. In the chaotic sandstorm, he raised his arm and threw a punch, a lightning-fast strike that pierced Parriman's spear thrust and struck him once again in his vital heart!
Parriman was sent flying backward, but layers of flesh and branches formed a wall to halt his fall. He brandished his spear and launched another attack, using its roots to strike his lower body, his bloody hand to grab his six arms, an invisible curse to burrow into his eyes beneath the mask, and a dim weapon aimed directly at his chest and heart. In the same instant, numerous deadly attacks tore through space, like blood-red spiders wielding sharp blades as they pounced.

A mere point mass of 5 has absolutely no chance of reacting; even if one's consciousness is honed to its limit, objective abilities cannot escape a deadly attack.

"break!!"

However, common sense was brutally shattered by reality. With a mountain-splitting axe, the roots were severed; with a samurai sword, the bloody hand was cut apart; the curse was directly spread open by the burning night; Huan Ge unleashed a barrage of punches with four fists at once, his heavy blows causing cracks to appear on the surface of the dim weapon!
Parriman's mind was in chaos, the collective consciousness arguing fiercely: [No solution] [No similar thoughts] [No experience]

We do not possess similar technology.

We don't know how to deal with this martial arts practitioner.

Du Ai's heartfelt words sounded hesitant, just as Trek's laughter rang out: "How about it? Feeling dizzy? That's not surprising..."

"After all, in the thousands of years of history of the Thorn City-State, there has only been one Tree Cicada Captain!"

Parriman was startled, finally understanding why he had summoned Huan Ge.

He was able to easily deal with the other captains thanks to the combat experience provided by the "false hero." The Sovereign City is a collection of the lingering resentments of the deceased; all the technologies and abilities within the city-state are recorded within it. Knowing its secrets, there are various ways to break through its defenses.

However, Huan Ge is one of the few exceptions within the city-state system. His strength comes from within; his martial arts and fighting style are entirely his own, and the collective consciousness has no way to counter them. Even if he imparts all his knowledge to his subordinates, no matter how talented they are, they cannot learn his complete set of techniques, because those are battle tactics specifically designed for the Thorn-Striped Tree Cicada!

What means should be used? [Injustice to the weak] [Resentment of the oppressors] [Hatred towards those in power] The call of love is like the sound of flapping wings, yet Parriman cannot make a decision for the moment.

He was ultimately not a true "strongman." Although he was infused with the power of demons and possessed the courage to risk his life for meaning, he had no combat experience of surviving life-or-death situations. Once the demonic methods failed, he lost his bearings in the fight. This lack of combat skills was the biggest weakness of this hypocritical hero.

"Stop, Second Captain!" Parryman roared. "The Kingdom of Heaven that everyone prays for is about to be completed, and you are shattering the hopes of the people!"

"Wake up from your delusions, Parriman!" Huan Ge roared. "You keep talking about citizens and ideals, but what crime did the civilians who were injured or killed during the Vitex Festival commit? How innocent were the Divine Guard members who died because of your plan!"

"For the bill to pass, I must—"

"Must the innocent be sacrificed? Then how are you any different from the officers you despise?!" Huan Ge clenched his fist. "What right do you have to condemn the justice of the thorn-clad warriors with your selfish desires?!"

Parriman was deeply shocked. He heard Huan Ge say in a deep voice, "Open your eyes and look at reality. There is no heaven in this hellish world, only a home that all living beings defend with their blood and sweat!"

He threw his weapon and unleashed six punches simultaneously, the powerful force striking Parriman's hands at once, causing the dim weapon to fly out of his grasp and into the sky!

[Unable to understand] [Don't know how] [No experience] [Can't comprehend]

The voices of confusion were growing louder. But what was worse was the increasing sense of despondency and hostility mixed in with them.

I don't want to fight.

Can we stop?

I don't want to be his enemy.

He was not wrong.

Do not harm the second captain.

"—!"

Parryman's gaze met Trek's, and he finally understood the reason behind the commander's shrewd smile.

There is no reason.

The city-state has no reason to be an enemy of Huan Ge.

Trek bears the hatred of those who died in battle. Banningtik is a symbol of a rigid system. Harley Luoya is a capitalist who stirs up emotions. Aya is a cruel official who exploits the people. Their work can all be interpreted from a malicious perspective; there is always a reason for hostility within the group.

But Huan Ge was different. Huan Ge was a war hero who led from the front, a man who rose from humble beginnings to become a captain. His military exploits and personal character were flawless; even during the Second Order Civil War, the soldiers had no reason to resent their captain. He fought for the masses from beginning to end, and therefore loved demons but had no will to oppose them!
This is the second weakness of the Devil's Delusion. As a nascent form of a delusional demon, it possesses the potential to transcend time, but lacks the crucial "face." The newly born Great Demon has no name or subject, merely a combination of consciousness and thought. It can only develop its own face after the first contractor's demise, but Paleman cannot die here!
"Transfer the power used to erode the thorny robe to my battlefield!"

Parriman immediately realized that the Demon's love had weakened the control of the Cursed Heaven. The flesh-and-blood tree lowered its branches to cover the sky, and thousands upon thousands of crimson rays converged and intertwined, forming an energy channel that pierced Parriman's back.

His momentum surged once more, reaching an undisputed peak even within the range of point 6. He unleashed a lightning-fast weapon recall, delivering a strike far exceeding his limits towards Huan Ge's head. With Du Ai's full support, his attack was approaching the limits beneath the Second Abyss. The difference in power was an insurmountable chasm; no matter how skilled Huan Ge was, he couldn't defend against it, and even Trek's reflexes couldn't evade this fatal blow.

But Parriman's spear missed its mark. The fatal blow had failed, for Huan Ge's hand blade struck his wrist squarely. The blade was imbued with a vibrant emerald light… the cold, emerald light of the Temple of Law!

Behind the battlefield, Banningtik finally rose. In his hand he held a broken blade, its surface gleaming with light, reflecting off the light like a mirror, illuminating every captain on the battlefield and every citizen inside the thorns.

"The desire for peace has remained unchanged for a thousand years."

The spirit of unity and concerted effort remains ever new.

Banningtik chanted calmly, raising the broken blade high above his head. And so, a new vitality appeared in the verdant green—the unwavering gaze of the divine tree, the foundation upon which the legal system was built.

"Laws are established based on their beliefs, and they are upheld by their steadfast adherence to the established rules."

Punish evil and promote good, and be conscientious in performing your duties;
In the name of God, protect justice for all people!

"The Divine Art of Law - Justice in a Thorn Robe!"

Based on the intelligence gathered by Trek, the oracle's analysis was finally complete. New divine magic illuminated the battlefield, the very foundation of the legal system, upholding justice and fairness.

This spirit, which transcends mere legal texts, can unite the strength of all those fighting for justice. It will transcend the boundaries of the individual and the collective, and punish the "crime" itself.

"In the name of the Fifth Captain, I bestow upon you the blessing of happiness."

"In the name of the Fourth Captain, I hereby bestow upon you the profound authority of the law."

Both captains simultaneously raised their hands, channeling their power into the light. Trek, spear in hand, touched the radiance and solemnly proclaimed, "In the name of the Third Captain, I deliver your just judgment!"

Thus, the brilliance of all the captains converged into a dazzling light, bestowing upon Huan Ge the powerful blessing of the law of justice. His status at this moment was equal to the sum of all the captains, and therefore he possessed the power to fight the demons!

"Still haven't you woken up, Parriman? You are the one who will destroy the future of the city-state!!"

Huan Ge brandished his hand blades, slashing down again! Slashing down! Slashing down! Five hand blades crisscrossed like lightning, instantly severing the energy channels behind Parriman. Finally, his arm wielded the Treasure King Sword, unleashing an incomparably fierce slash that split the dim weapon in two!

Parriman was blown far away by the wind from the sword, his limbs almost broken in half, his mangled body no longer able to maintain its human form. He simply used the remnants of the dim weapon to rebuild his limbs, dozens of broken weapons forming long, grotesque claws like insects.

Huan Ge wielded six divine weapons in a rapid clash with him, his body bathed in divine light, the sharpness of his weapons almost unstoppable. Parriman summoned a massive number of blood-red hands in an attempt to crush his spirit, but Huan Ge used all his strength to swing his sword, the King of Swords' strikes like divine light descending upon the world, shattering the deep-seated hatred!
"True Secret Sword: Wind, Flowers, Snow, and Moon!"

Exquisite swordsmanship shattered the curse, and the yearning for the devil filled Parriman's heart with turmoil. [Powerless][Unable][No strategy][Unable to cope] The overwhelming pressure of the battle gradually drove him to the brink of despair.

He would fail. Even without the warning of his exclusive devotion to the devil, reality was already before him. The oracle had seized upon his only weakness: the ideology of exclusive devotion could not ultimately defeat the hero.

He was about to lose, and the city-state would return to the old tree's rule, once again following the old path of the past thousands of years... But the city-state's development had already reached its end, and the enemies outside had developed a sure-kill method against Jing Sha, and even Eternal Time had issued its judgment.

This old path is destined to end in defeat. If I die now, who knows how many years it will take for the next Demon of Desire to grow and be fully formed, by which time the city-state will have already lost all hope.

He would never allow the city-state to fall...

He must save the city!
"There's still a way! Since you've chosen me, trust me until the very end!!"

Parriman's roar cleared his chaotic mind, and the demon's barbaric voice was rebuked, allowing him to retrieve a useful memory from his myriad thoughts.

Yes, there was. An absolute weapon that the Divine Guard could never touch, and that only he possessed. It was the only "truth" the false hero possessed, the culmination of everything he had gained in his life. Parriman tossed aside his weapon, spreading his arms wide, letting the King's Sword pierce his body. His claws gripped the steel mask on his face, the only thing that symbolized him melting under the twisted power of his spirit, reforging it into an iron-gray scepter.

"—Curse of Binding, Unparalleled Power!!"

Just moments before victory was within reach, Huan Ge's movements suddenly froze. The scepter exuded an irresistible presence, controlling his consciousness like a king. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Parriman gripped the scepter tightly, forcefully pushing Huan Ge back.

He moved with demigod-like speed to the rear of the battlefield, raising his scepter to strike Harleroya. The female captain, holding her card, was completely unresponsive, and was struck directly by his attack!
"Fifth team, disband..."

Harlequin almost instantly lost the ability to move. Seeing the situation was dire, Lingfeng grabbed her and transformed into elemental energy to escape. However, Parriman pointed his staff at her, and the wind that should have flowed away froze on the ground. He flew into the air and brought his staff down heavily, slamming Lingfeng deep into the ground.

"Fourth team, disband!!"

The mutation happened too fast, even Trek couldn't react in time. Banningtik was the only one who noticed the change, but he couldn't act because he was focused on maintaining the divine power of justice. So Parryman appeared behind Trek, and his scepter smashed down on his head like a hammer!
"Third team, disband!"

"Don't even think about it!!!"

At the critical moment, Huan Ge finally arrived, using his sword and iron staff to block the scepter. Beads of sweat dripped from beneath Huan Ge's mask; he was barely able to control his body.

"Hey, Trek. What's this?!"

Trek gave a wry smile: "Didn't the Speaker make it very clear...? This is his 'power'!"

The very essence of that scepter is "power." The pinnacle of power that Parriman had climbed step by step over the past 20 years, his position as Speaker, transformed with the aid of the demons, into undeniable power. Armed with this abstract and materialized concept, its existence possessed an overwhelming suppressive force against all officials within the Jingsha government. As long as they remained subordinate to the Jingsha government, there was absolutely no reason for them to resist!

"You must... obey my orders!"

Parriman breathed heavily, uttering the wildest words from his heart with the spirit of a martyr.

“I am the leader chosen by the 17 billion people of this city-state.”

"I have embraced their will. I bear their desires. I must become a perfect, true hero..."

"Defeat you here! Lead the Kingdom of Heaven to come!!"

Finally, the scepter shattered the defenses. Huan Ge's weapon flew from his hand, and his strongest force was annihilated. Yet, at that very moment, Trek smiled once more. The compass of justice spun rapidly in his hand, its needle pointing straight forward!

"Then let's listen to the voices of the citizens."

Trek pressed the compass, and he and Huan Ge vanished simultaneously, replaced by a raging, ferocious beast. The colossal beast roared deafeningly, its hide easily deflecting the scepter of power. Its massive claws lashed out like fists, striking Parriman squarely in the head!

"--you?!"

He recognized the beast; any citizen who had ever been to the Third Order would likely recognize its massive form. It was the seal shopkeeper of the seafood bookstore, a veteran of the Rank 5. Indeed, it possessed some strength among its Rank counterparts, but even so, it had absolutely no chance of stopping the scepter… absolutely no chance!
The otter editor poked his head out: "What's wrong, Parriman? Keep showing off your little toys."

Manager Ji, his face contorted with rage, exclaimed, "We'd like to see—what effect that thing can have on us!"

With a deafening roar, a poisoned bullet pierced Parriman's skull, the sea of ​​mist following closely behind, resolutely sweeping him away. Parriman brandished his scepter, again and again, but his overwhelming power had no effect whatsoever. Moreover, its power was steadily waning!
Parriman was greatly shocked. With the help of the flesh and blood tree, he quickly pinpointed the source of the anomaly, but at this moment he was helpless. Because there were too many sources, far too many!

At the heart of Star Castle Mansa, inspectors are using the sacred tree to eradicate its roots.

Around the barracks, soldiers used their weapons to cut down branches.

Farmers carried their tools to weed, amusement park employees burned the bloody branches, and people from every household came out of their homes and picked up their tools to eradicate the strange branches.

Somewhere under the umbrella of poetry, Lico raised her arms and shouted, "We can't let the captains fight alone, let's lend them a hand!"

"Now is not the time for sleeping in!" "I don't want these things in my house." "Stop those stupid politicians." "The captains are fighting!"

Hundreds of millions of people opened their eyes and severed the branches of their own love through their actions. They were bathed in divine light, the very light of righteousness emanating from Banningtik.

Indeed, the public is often completely unaware of the truth.

Prone to extremes. Easily emotional. Enjoys indulging in wishful thinking.

Even so, this country still possesses a kind heart.

Having witnessed the truth behind the referee's actions, seen firsthand the true nature of the demon who loves only evil, and seen the captains fighting valiantly, even an ignorant child understands where justice truly lies!
"A curse maintained by power is indeed a fatal blow to us captains of the Divine Guard... It's just a pity that you seem to have overlooked one point, Speaker," Trek said coldly. "Your power was granted by the people, and it can be taken back by the people at any time!"

"You're out of office now, Zan van Paremann!!"

Parriman remained silent, approaching with his waning scepter. Trek took the broken blade of justice from Banningtik and faced the Speaker head-on. Then, both accelerated, like phantoms of different colors. Their weapons clashed rapidly; Parriman's face cracked, faded bark flying like paper. He suppressed his emotions, yearning for a final victory. To seize that weapon; if he could defeat justice, he still had a chance…

As long as...justice is defeated...!
"Hahaha, hahaha, hahahahaha!!"

He burst into laughter at the ridiculous premise, then the absurdity transformed into pure rage. He slammed his scepter down and roared, "Why are you stopping me?! Can't you hear the cries of the fallen?!"

“I heard it very clearly,” Trek said calmly.

“Every night, I think of the battlefield. I can see their faces when I close my eyes. I know the consequences of my decision, and I know that every one of those brave soldiers harbors fear in their hearts.”

"And I understand even more clearly that their sacrifice was for the happiness of more people, and their fight was for the prosperity of the Thorn Robe, not for your so-called 'exclusive love' delusion!"

"You may hate me! Torture me! Kill me! But I will never allow you to insult their deaths!"

The scepter fell to the ground.

The weapon of justice pierced his chest.

The curse that kept him immortal was finally broken at this moment.

The flesh-and-blood tree gradually faded into a phantom, and Parriman transformed from his fused form into a fragile human. His body crumbled away like dust. In his final moments, he raised his empty eyes and gazed at the soldier before him.

“I resent you, Just Trek.”

"Hate all you want," Trek sheathed his sword. "I will carry this hatred with me and continue to fight."

That's quite a boastful statement.

So many people were deceived by this. So many people willingly went to the battlefield. So many people died believing they had a purpose.

However, there is still a sense of regret, otherwise he wouldn't be standing here. He tried his best to achieve his goal of forming a cluster, but ultimately failed.

The voice in my heart gradually became less and less clear.

Public opinion seems to be gradually changing.

The voices of individualism faded, while the voices of unity grew stronger. They had changed again, just as before. But he harbored no resentment. No regrets.

Because he understood better than anyone that the will of the masses is always so fickle.

It was this very wavering heart that once saved him.

The Speaker's iron mask collapsed, and at the last moment he raised his hand, which was about to dissipate, and placed a piece of the shattered mask into Trek's hand.

He was unwilling. He hated the man. He wanted to curse him.

However, the fickle group had new desires.

He will definitely make it happen.

Trek clenched his fist, clutching the cherished fragment. Parriman's faceless expression twitched for a moment, as if he wanted to smile.

He completely disintegrated and turned into colorless sand.

(End of this chapter)