Chapter 325 -: 324 Wrath.
Kill. Kill. Kill!
The words echoed endlessly inside Julius’ mind, each repetition more violent than the last.
His thoughts had become a chaotic storm of bloodlust and madness, so overwhelming that he could no longer distinguish reason from instinct.
He wanted to scream, to roar his hatred into the heavens, but trapped within the Phoenix of Destruction, his own voice never escaped his lips.
Instead, the divine bird threw back its enormous head and released an ear-splitting screech that shook the very sky.
The cry was filled with so much wrath and murderous intent that the surrounding mana trembled violently, sending ripples through the night as though the world itself was recoiling from its fury.
The phoenix was formed entirely from fire, yet it wasn’t ordinary fire.
Had Julius used the flames he could naturally summon, the spell would’ve been powerful, but nowhere near enough to threaten four Heavenly Trial experts at once.
Instead, he had chosen something far more terrifying. The flames raging across the phoenix’s colossal body belonged to Nathaniel Augustus Hayes.
They were the Lord of Fire’s flames, capable of burning hotter than even Hellfire itself.
More importantly, they carried Nathaniel’s will, a command so absolute that every spark obeyed Julius as though acknowledging him as their rightful master.
The inferno recognised neither Julius nor Rosalina as enemies.
To those flames, they were untouchable, allowing Julius to stand within an ocean of destruction without suffering even the slightest burn.
’...Rose.’
The single thought cut through the endless bloodlust like a ray of light piercing an endless abyss.
The moment her name crossed his mind, the phoenix reacted immediately.
Its massive talons loosened ever so slightly, and Rosalina’s unconscious body gently sank through the blazing flames instead of falling.
Moments later she appeared directly before Julius, completely unharmed by the inferno surrounding them.
Without hesitation he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her tightly against his chest as though afraid she would disappear if he loosened his grip for even a second.
He lowered his head, closing his eyes for the briefest moment while the madness inside him continued festering.
’Now then...It’s time you pay...for daring to look at my woman.’
The Phoenix of Destruction answered his thoughts with another deafening screech that reverberated across the battlefield.
The sheer pressure behind that cry was enough to make weaker spell casters collapse where they stood, while the surrounding warriors instinctively took several steps backwards despite themselves.
Even those who had only recently arrived on the battlefield felt an overwhelming urge to flee. Their instincts screamed that remaining here meant certain death.
Unfortunately for them, the four Heavenly Trial experts weren’t ordinary warriors.
None of them retreated.
To Julius, however, that was perfectly acceptable.
In fact...it was better this way.
If they stayed...he could kill every last one of them.
His golden eyes slowly swept across the battlefield before stopping upon Dianan.
’...And what did this bitch say again?’
The Solarian Family heir...
Julius’ jaw clenched so tightly that an audible crack echoed from his teeth.
His arms instinctively tightened around Rosalina, pulling her even closer against him as an icy rage surged through every fibre of his being.
’Once I’m finished here...I’ll gouge out both of his eyes. And then...’
He never finished the thought.
The Phoenix of Destruction suddenly opened its enormous beak, and an endless torrent of golden Hellfire erupted forward like a river born from the sun itself.
The flames devoured everything in their path, melting the very air as they surged towards the enemy formation with unstoppable momentum.
Magnus reacted instantly.
The gigantic golden lion manifested before him, planting its massive paws firmly upon the ground before opening its jaws.
A roaring torrent of molten lava burst forth, colliding head-on with the approaching inferno.
For the briefest instant..fire met fire. Then the outcome became obvious.
The lava was utterly overwhelmed.
Nathaniel’s flames tore straight through it as though it didn’t exist, consuming the molten torrent before continuing forward without losing even a fraction of their terrifying momentum.
Magnus’ expression changed immediately as he abandoned any attempt to resist head-on, retreating alongside the others before the flames could swallow them whole.
Fire-path spells were useless. Those flames belonged to Nathaniel Augustus Hayes.
The Lord of Fire.
At Nathaniel’s level, every flame in existence answered his command. Whether ordinary fire, magical fire, or Hellfire itself, all of it bowed before his authority.
Compared to that overwhelming supremacy, the flames summoned by a mere beast spirit weren’t even worthy of comparison.
The phoenix let out a low, contemptuous snort before surging through the skies with astonishing speed.
Julius immediately shifted his attention back towards Dianan.
The enormous bird folded one wing before diving directly towards the silver-armoured woman, unleashing another torrent of blazing Hellfire in an attempt to erase her from existence.
Dianan’s pupils contracted.
She threw herself backwards, dragging the colossal greatsword before her while pouring mana into its defensive enchantments.
The blade intercepted the approaching inferno, buying her just enough time to escape before the flames completely engulfed her.
Even then, the sword itself glowed a frightening crimson from the unbearable heat, forcing her to abandon the position entirely.
At the same moment, Magnus seized the opportunity.
The golden lion roared before lunging at the phoenix from behind, its claws glowing with molten mana as it attempted to tear through the divine bird’s wings.
Unfortunately...
Julius wasn’t fighting on the ground anymore.
The greatest weakness of Magnus’ beast spirit had always been mobility. Against an aerial opponent as swift as the Phoenix of Destruction, the lion’s attacks became significantly less threatening.
Every swipe narrowly missed as the phoenix effortlessly soared through the skies, refusing to remain within reach for even a single heartbeat.
Instead...
Julius’ attention settled upon another target.
The old man.
Elder Hidan.
His sharp crimson eyes immediately noticed the elderly spell caster standing far behind the others, both hands raised while continuously chanting an unusually long incantation.
Layer after layer of water mana gathered around him, forming countless complex magic circles that rotated one after another.
The density of mana alone revealed that whatever spell he was preparing was extraordinarily powerful.
He wasn’t proficient with it yet.
Otherwise...
He wouldn’t have needed such a lengthy incantation.
A perfect opportunity.
Without the slightest hesitation, the phoenix folded its blazing wings before charging directly towards Elder Hidan, intending to eliminate him before the spell could be completed.
However...
Helis stepped forward.
The towering Zlycon raised both arms, and countless streams of metallic mana erupted from beneath the earth.
Massive walls of enchanted steel instantly formed in mid-air, weaving together into an enormous fortress that completely blocked the phoenix’s path.
The divine bird refused to slow down.
Instead, one of its gigantic talons swung forward with overwhelming force, crashing into the metal barrier.
Boom!
The deafening impact echoed throughout the battlefield.
The enchanted steel twisted violently before shattering into countless molten fragments that scattered through the night like blazing meteors.
Without stopping, the phoenix lunged straight towards Helis, extending both enormous talons in an attempt to rip him apart before continuing towards Elder Hidan.
At that exact moment...
A rain of enchanted arrows descended from the heavens.
Thousands of glowing projectiles streaked through the night like falling stars, forcing the phoenix to abandon its pursuit.
Julius instinctively shifted the bird’s body, allowing the arrows to strike its blazing wings instead of Rosalina.
Normally...
Such arrows would’ve melted into nothingness the instant they touched Nathaniel’s flames.
These didn’t.
The countless enchantments carved into every arrow delayed the flames just enough for the projectiles to continue piercing deeper before finally disintegrating.
Individually they posed little threat, but together they created a relentless barrage that momentarily restricted the phoenix’s movements.
Julius frowned.
He couldn’t continue blocking them forever.
Fortunately...
He didn’t need to.
The Phoenix of Destruction slowly turned its enormous head.
Its blazing crimson eyes travelled across the battlefield before locking onto the spell casters stationed far in the distance.
Arcane Core.
They were nowhere near the strength of the Heavenly Trial experts protecting them.
Even from such an incredible distance, Julius could clearly see the fear spreading across their faces.
Some instinctively stepped backwards, others tightened their grips upon their staves, while several visibly trembled beneath the phoenix’s terrifying gaze.
Their fear was justified.
Not a single one of them...
Would be leaving this battlefield alive.