The vortex at the center of the lava lake was growing larger and larger, a phenomenon that defied all common sense.
Starlight’s pupils constricted slightly; deep within the churning lava vortex, a blurred black silhouette was slowly rising.
The outline was remarkably human-like, but whether due to the environment or something else, the edges of the shadow were constantly twisting and warping, as if even the surrounding light was being swallowed by it.
With the appearance of this dark figure, the environment of the entire crater underwent a sudden and violent change. The previously rhythmic surges of lava turned chaotic and wild, and countless pillars of fire erupted toward the sky without warning.
Lava splashed into the air only to suddenly solidify into pitch-black stones, raining back down into the lake below.
Po Kong and the others noticed the anomaly coming from the depths of the volcano and turned their heads toward the center of the vortex.
“What on earth is that?” Po Kong narrowed his eyes, trying to get a clear look, but his vision was obscured by the billowing smoke.
Xia Duo and Moen, however, watched the distance with solemn expressions. With their superior elven eyesight, they could naturally see objects at this distance clearly.
The problem was that the dark figure was unlike anything they had ever seen; it stood in the center of the lava like a void-like humanoid space, offering no presence or feedback whatsoever.
As the four stood in a daze, the thick smoke permeating the crater suddenly began to swirl, centering around the dark figure.
Dust and smoke of various colors formed countless cyclones of all sizes in the air. Within each cyclone, eerie flashes of lightning crackled and popped.
Starlight could even feel the rocks beneath his feet groaning under the strain, as if the entire volcano were trembling incessantly.
Suddenly, the dark figure’s form solidified. It slowly raised a hand and lightly tapped the air with its fingertip—
Crack—
A crisp cracking sound echoed through the heavens and earth, and then it was as if the entire world had been put on pause.
The space above the lava lake shattered like a mirror. The billowing sulfurous smoke, the splashing lava, and even the scattering sparks all froze into broken fragments suspended in mid-air.
As the fragments rained down, the dark figure finally revealed its true form.
A tall suit of pitch-black armor stood suspended over the scorching center of the lake. Dark red magic patterns flowed across the armor, pulsing rhythmically like veins.
Behind the narrow slits of the ferocious, full-face visor, two beams of deep purple light flickered.
Most terrifying was its posture; by merely hovering there casually, it seemed to have become the fulcrum of the entire space. Even the surrounding spatial cracks appeared to actively avoid its body.
A moment later, the armored figure turned its head, and a terrifying gaze swept over the four of them like a physical force.
The moment they were met with that gaze, a primal fear gripped everyone’s hearts.
Starlight felt the mana within him freeze instantly. Moen and Xia Duo felt as if they had been plunged into an ice cellar, unable to even move. Po Kong was forced down to one knee, his recently released War God Battle Qi suppressed back into his body.
“A Half-God?! Another Half-God!!?? How is this possible!”
This shocking thought exploded in all four of their minds like a clap of thunder.
Unlike any Half-God they had encountered before, the black-armored figure exerted a completely different kind of pressure. Even without releasing any aura, a mere glance was enough to seal their movements.
“Damn it... what kind of monster is this?!”
Po Kong squeezed the words through his gritted teeth. His battle qi surged wildly inside him, yet he couldn't lift a single finger.
Starlight didn't answer; instead, he pondered where this inexplicable pressure was coming from.
None of the Half-Gods they had met before—not even one as powerful as Desdoraka with his Dragon God body—could have controlled all of them with just a single look.
“It’s emotions... He... he can influence our emotions!”
Moen’s words brought a sudden realization to everyone. From the first moment they saw that figure, fear, awe, and submission had been directly implanted into the depths of their consciousness!
The discovery made their skin crawl. Unlike magical charm or mental control, this ability felt more like it was directly rewriting their emotional perception, embedding the command of “do not resist” into their most primal instincts!
If the opponent chose to strike now, the four of them would be like lambs to the slaughter, with no way to fight back.
Time passed slowly in the suffocating oppression. The black-armored figure remained still in the void, neither attacking nor lifting the suppression.
Like a heartless statue, it watched coldly as the lava rose inch by inch, gradually approaching the four people at the edge of the crater.
“Chirp.”
Suddenly, a crisp bird’s cry broke the dead silence. A grey-brown mountain sparrow flapped its wings and landed lightly on Starlight’s shoulder.
It tilted its head, its beady black eyes curiously examining the motionless group, and even playfully pecked at Starlight’s earlobe.
This absurd scene stunned everyone. Why would a small creature like a mountain sparrow appear in such a dangerous place? Did this make any sense? Even if Moen used the Power of Nature to summon them, it shouldn't have been able to override their survival instincts.
Before the four could figure out what was happening, they saw a dense mass of figures pierce through the clouds above, surging toward their location.
Mountain sparrows, larks, snowy owls... countless birds of all kinds appeared in the sky as if answering a call, circling and dancing above the boiling lava.
As the spectacle of ten thousand birds reached its peak, a pillar of fire erupted from the lava beneath the black armor’s feet. A giant fiery-red bird with a wingspan of over ten meters burst through the magma and soared into the sky.
Every one of its feathers shimmered like flowing lava, its tail feathers trailing brilliant golden light. The moment it spread its wings, every bird in the sky let out a melodic cry, forming a magnificent spiral pattern in the air.
The fire bird stretched its flame-like wings, gracefully circling the black-armored figure several times before coming to a halt.
It looked down at the four people at the edge of the lava lake, its glass-like eyes shimmering with a warm golden light.
Under its gaze, a warmth like a spring breeze washed over everyone’s hearts. The forcibly implanted fear and oppression dissipated like morning mist.
“Chi, let’s go.”
A raspy, cold voice echoed through the crater. Every syllable seemed to carry an ancient chill, making Starlight feel as though the ambient temperature had dropped significantly.
Surprisingly, the fire bird called “Chi” showed no fear. Instead, it leaned affectionately toward the black-armored figure, its long neck gently rubbing against the figure’s arm as it let out a soft, melodious cry.
The black-armored figure was silent for a moment before suddenly raising a hand to gently stroke the bird’s feathers.
That simple movement caused the entire crater to tremble—all the fragments suspended in the air disintegrated into fine, snow-like dust, refracting a rainbow of light in the sun.
The black-armored figure blurred, appearing like a ghost upon the fire bird’s broad back.
Skree—
The fire bird let out a long cry, its clear and resonant voice like heavenly music, causing the surrounding sea of clouds to churn.
The power contained within that sound wave actually caused the boiling lava lake to calm instantly, and the rolling sulfurous smoke solidified into a magnificent glow.
With a sudden flap of its wings, a scorching whirlwind swept through the crater. By the time the four opened their eyes again, the figure and the bird had already transformed into a golden-red streak on the horizon, moving so fast that not even an afterimage remained.
Only then did Starlight and the others snap back to their senses, as if waking from a dream.
“What on earth was that guy’s deal? And what was that bird?” Po Kong panted heavily, speaking with lingering fear as he stared in the direction where the pair had vanished.
Xia Duo shook her head and glanced at the Hellfire Lotus in her arms. “I don't know. But whether it was that black-armored man or that bird, both possessed the strength of at least a Half-God...”
“A golden-red bird... Half-God... Could it be...” Moen muttered to herself, deep in thought. “A phoenix? But haven't phoenixes been gone since they vanished along with the gods ten thousand years ago?”
...
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