Flame

"Heaven! Heaven!" The demons roared as they climbed upward, treading the stairs wrapped around the high tower, crossing the night sky step by step—higher and higher. The pitch-black night was ignited and torn apart by thunder, flashing in unbroken succession. Countless angels swarmed in siege, dense and packed like a deluge, tearing down with ferocious fury. A bloody crimson coiled downward from the tower's highest pinnacle, while flames surged upward from within Limbo. Blood and fire intertwined around the Tower of Babel like serpents. Countless dark motes continuously soared into the air, only to plummet from the vault of heaven, showering down a rain of scarlet. "Heaven! Heaven!" The demons howled in ecstasies of wild abandon. Step by step, they advanced against the torrent of Heavenly Radiance, spiraling upward like a colony of black ants crawling around a pillar of flame and blood. Roars and rumbles thundered without pause. Under the cleaving thunder and hammering artillery, the entire tower shuddered violently, teetering as if on the verge of collapse. Yet whenever it shook or suffered damage, it rapidly restored and regrew. At the lowest depths of Limbo, the old codger was already foaming at the mouth, practically sucked dry by his own crop. Clutching the hat in his arms, he rubbed it frantically and urged, "Give me some, give me some! If you don't cough it up, I'm gonna drop dead!" The snakelike hat rolled its eyes reluctantly, opened its mouth, and spat onto the roots. Instantly, the tower soared upright, growing ever sturdier. Every scrap of material gathered since entering the dream realm was now being poured into the demonic seed, spurring it to grow again and again. Rooted in hell, piercing through heaven. Under the direction of the Pure Land, the spiritus of all Limbo gathered in an endless stream to relieve his burden. More chassis were steadily activated from the storehouses, auxiliary systems injected as combat-type Spirits of Creation marched out once more, utterly fearless of death. Living everyday life was all about steady, careful moderation. In the past, a penny-pincher like Ji Jue would suffer agonizing heartache over the slightest loss of spiritus or faith. But now that he had thrown everything into the pot, he had cast all thought of daily moderation to the wind. No tactics, just an all-out base trade. He had gone all-in, trading immense investments for consecutive breakthroughs on the battlefield. Abandoning any regard for the future, the overheated operations of Limbo entered an overclocked state. The assembly lines spun so fast that sparks flew, while countless production-type Spirits of Creation dashed back and forth, swift as the wind. In the river of molten steel, one demonic chassis after another was forged and continuously dispatched to the front lines. After today, either you die or I die—simple as that! Ten minutes into the battle, the Heaven of the Moon was breached. Fifteen minutes in, both sides clashed in the Heaven of Mercury. Five minutes later, Mercury fell, and they strode into the Heaven of Venus. Venus did not hold for long either. The Order concentrated massive forces at the altitude of the Heaven of the Sun, and under relentless assaults of thunder and bombardment, the battle ground to a ferocious stalemate. Immediately after, the Styx Dragon took to the skies. No, rather than calling it a dragon, it was more like an island... After the most thorough modifications, its original appearance was entirely unrecognizable. Plated from head to tail in steel, its life had expanded endlessly under catalysis, transforming into a floating island. An aerospace carrier took flight, escorted by a massive swarm of drones, and headed toward the front line, its gigantic bulk positioning itself at the very forefront of the thunder and artillery. Shattered steel rained from the sky. As the launch bays opened, missiles rose into the sky like a constellation of stars, spewing in an endless barrage. From within the fissures, countless anti-aircraft cannons under the control of Spirits of Creation vented their fury. Blazing trails surged into the air, crisscrossing with thunder, mutually annihilating in deafening detonations. The Heaven of the Sun was breached! The Heaven of Mars, the Heaven of Jupiter, and the Heaven of Saturn were penetrated in swift succession amid countercharges. As the Styx Dragon let out a mournful wail and plunged, its colossal frame disintegrated completely, steel and fire turning into falling meteors that slammed toward the earth. The frontline holy relics of the angels were once more shattered under the White Knights' counterattack. The Heaven of the Fixed Stars was breached! The Crystalline Heaven where Tiancheng stood was now right before their eyes! "Heaven! Heaven!" Flames ignited from the demons' bodies. Aided by chassis guided by immense swarms of Spirits of Creation, the demons of Limbo finally crossed the final distance. The gates blasted wide open. Iron talons stomped onto the magnificent reliefs of the floor. Passing beyond the final portal, they felt solid ground beneath their feet. Before their eyes stood the dazzling, resplendent city of Tiancheng. Sanctuaries stood row upon row, stretching to the horizon, while majestic bells rang out in undulating waves. Amidst the turmoil across the earth, innumerable angels took flight, rushing back to reinforce Tiancheng. The angelic host gathered here in force. They pushed forward with fierce determination! At the very vanguard, the first demon to burst through the gates was instantly ripped to shreds. Yet even as its body fell apart, its flying, severed head continued to laugh maniacally as it fell. Heaven! After crossing such an agonizingly long journey, Heaven was right before their eyes! Then let this fire be offered up! "You dumb bastards, your daddy's here!" The demon grinned, its lone remaining head baring its teeth in a mocking sneer at the angels right in front of it. In that instant, its self-destruct sequence initiated. Silver radiance erupted, tearing apart the soul and releasing a shockwave that rejected the dream realm, blasting clear a narrow landing zone for the reinforcements behind. Yet when the massive legion of demons seized the opening and completed their landing, they found the angels fully mustered, armed to the teeth, and waiting in strict formation beyond the plaza. Heavenly Radiance was omnipresent, vast and inexhaustible, enveloping all of Tiancheng. There was no longer any need to go through the trouble of channeling Heavenly Radiance to forge holy relics. At this moment, every leaf and branch in Tiancheng was a holy relic. Illuminated by boundless Heavenly Radiance, even if they were reduced to ash, they could regenerate in an instant! Gathering all their might, right here within Tiancheng, they would finish the job in one decisive stroke! Just as Ji Jue had anticipated, the moment the Pope realized the heretics' landing was inevitable, he had prepared for the final battle. By any means necessary, at any cost, victory and defeat, life and death, would be settled here. He would crush his foe completely! *Snap—* A cracking sound echoed. The moment the Pope's scepter struck the ground within the Central Sanctuary, a terrifying power descended from the heavens, engulfing the whole of Tiancheng. It exerted relentless pressure and lockdown upon every heretic, ubiquitous and pervasive. It was as though they bore a weight of ten thousand tons, yet could barely draw breath. The air itself seemed frozen, binding their bodies. Furious light poured down like a waterfall, running rampant, ravaging consciousness and soul alike. It turned every demon into clay that crumbled at a touch. And that was not all... One steel demon after another ceased to respond, slumping to its knees like an empty husk, stripped of all movement. Like a howling gale sweeping through wheat fields and flattening crops, countless stalks snapped in the middle and tumbled down. The sounds of internal fracturing within the chassis never ceased. Immense numbers of chassis piloted by Spirits of Creation were reduced to useless scrap and refuse in an instant! This lockdown acted upon all consciousnesses and souls. The Spirits of Creation, devoid of real thought and mind, were far too fragile to resist it. At the same time, it severed Limbo! The connection with the Pure Land was cut clean through. Uploading and downloading were no longer possible. The heretics had lost their avenue of infinite rebirth and rapid resurrection. The power the Pope had been quietly preparing since the battle began had been unveiled at the critical juncture. The decisive strike originally intended for Ji Jue made its abrupt appearance, driving a blade straight into his most vulnerable point! And that was still not all. Not merely that... All-out, regardless of price, regardless of consequence. In accordance with the Pope's resolve, the bells tolled once more, and pillars of light that connected heaven and earth rained down in rapid succession. Like a torrential storm. Within the angelic host, towering silhouettes stepped forward from the ranks, one after another. Saints! They were all Saints! Yet how could there be only seven Saints now?! Under the infinite infusion of Heavenly Radiance, Saints were being mass-produced. Authority was granted, divine power bestowed, weapons conferred. They were no longer bound by the limit and scale of seven. If needed, creating even more Saints would be child's play! Beyond that... Even more authorities were continuously distributed. Sacrifice, Humility, Piety, Purity, Flame Shield, Exorcism, Plague, Disease, Growth, Calamity, Evangelism, Hymn, Strife... Even Yidela's Heavenly Punishment and the Garrison Saint's Many as One were once again bestowed. Fanatically chanting angels, titanic Heavenly Generals, and Saints favored by Heavenly Radiance—at this moment, not a single bystander remained in Tiancheng. Even the clerical staff had all been cast into the Heavenly Radiance to undergo rebirth. If necessary, believers down below could be requisitioned and converted as well! Any price was worth paying. So long as it destroyed the enemy before them! In that instant, the final bell tolled. The decree of destruction was issued. No words were needed, nor was there any time to waste. Slaughter every sinner, cast all heretics who called themselves devils back into the fires of Limbo, and burn them to ash! "The Holy God is our witness!" Amidst heaven-shaking roars, the ranks that had stood still as mountains surged forward with a crash. Like collapsing mountains, it was magnificent and vast, ferocious and violent. Surrounded on all sides. Advancing like an iron wall, they cared nothing for whether stone, buildings, stairs, or even their own comrades lay ahead, without a shred of hesitation. Amidst fanaticism and prayer, lances and spears bristled thick as a forest, piercing forward with a world-rending roar! White and black, light and shadow. A momentary clash stirred waves that rattled the entire dream realm. Amidst bursts of shattered light, steel, blood, and severed limbs, shockwaves reverberated. An overwhelming force pressed straight forward, bent on grinding the fragile defenses to dust without mercy, sparks flying as they collided. The raised shield wall groaned, falling back... step by step! Wait, falling back? Why were they merely falling back?! No, rather, why was it *only* falling back?! The Pope froze in shock, his brow knitting tightly. With such immense power, backed by targeted, ruthless suppression, even a mountain should have been smashed to pieces! So why had they held? In fact, why were both sides locked in a standstill, grappling with equal might?! Preposterous! *Tap—tap—* Amidst the shouting, calls, explosions, grinding, and impacts, among countless clamorous sounds, a low noise suddenly echoed in everyone's ears. *Tap—tap—tap—* Footsteps echoed from the darkness of the Tower of Babel, welling up from its deepest depths, spreading like an invisible hammer striking upon everyone's ears. Someone was slowly ascending, climbing the stairs toward Heaven. Unrushed, measured, and calm. When those dark eyes, deeper than the abyss, looked up, they took in everything before them. They swept lightly past the blood, severed limbs, fire, and war—not even lingering for a single second upon the Central Sanctuary where the Pope stood. He did not hide his disappointment and regret. "So it really isn't here, after all," he remarked with genuine puzzlement. "Is your deity unwilling to spare you even a single glance?" Those words were so soft, yet they rang clearly in everyone's ears, burrowing into their souls to echo back and forth. Shrill, high-pitched laughter erupted like a tidal wave. The demons laughed with wicked delight, thoroughly amused. Meanwhile, the eyes of the angels flushed crimson with fury and rage. Incensed beyond measure! Yet no matter how hard they fought forward, clashing violently against the demons, pushing ahead grew increasingly difficult. They could not even shatter shields already riddled with cracks. It was as though, with the appearance of that figure, everything had been completely overturned. Everything had become entirely different! The so-called... —Enemy of God! "Look, my friends. Tiancheng lies right before us." Amidst the demonic ranks and the forest of steel, that lean figure walked forward with hands behind his back, treading across pools of blood and scrap metal as he gazed upon the scenery ahead. He seemed deeply moved. Yet from start to finish, the contemptuous smile playing at the corners of his lips never shifted in the slightest. "Crossing seven heavens, soaring through nine nights, we have traveled an arduous road to finally arrive at the end, opposing the lapdogs of a god, waging war against the minions and puppets of the so-called Holy God. "The hour of decisive battle has come—" Amidst a clangor like grinding metal, that low voice echoed unceasingly, declaring to all: "Therefore, my friends, you need no longer endure humiliation, nor heed the shackles that bind you... "The fire that belongs to you has been kindled, and the time for vengeance is at hand!" The metallic ringing grew increasingly shrill. When countless voices blended together, they truly transformed into thunder that shook heaven and earth. It was like the Demon King of Limbo laughing wildly, hurling lightning toward the mortal realm and raising flames toward Heaven. "Go! Burn Tiancheng to the ground, tear down the sanctuaries, and wipe out every eyesore in our sight!" "—Go, and slaughter every last enemy!" The final shackles were broken. The overture to destruction played out right here. At that very moment, right before their eyes, a terrifying wave capable of shaking the entire dream realm erupted outward, spreading in a sudden surge! Above the vault of heaven, the dark clouds shattered. A crimson star cast down its light, turning all things blood-red. Amidst the crimson hue, wisps of sparks rose and drifted wildly. The wind blowing from afar changed as well, bearing the scent of sulfur and ash. Immediately after, the sun that should have been extinguished blazed once more, illuminating the entire world. Yet that sun did not come from the vault of heaven... It came from beneath the nine underworlds! Accompanied by an unprecedented earthquake in the mortal realm, the Scar left by Limbo expanded abruptly... extending from its original location all the way beneath Tiancheng! It was as though an invisible blade had carved a deep wound into the world. No blood gushed forth. In its place, rising steadily, was... Limbo!!! Like a stone hurled into water, like a shard of iron jammed into flesh, it breached inch by inch, disregarding the containment limits of the dream realm. Limbo, like a living thing, forcibly bored its way into this divine realm. And then, it blazed with radiant light! A furious blaze erupted, bursting in all directions, shooting straight into the clouds. Standing thus between heaven and earth, it shoved Tiancheng—which had already been pierced through by the tower—upward by thousands of meters! Then, it began to rapidly split open. As its outer shell unfolded, it blossomed like a lotus. Layer upon layer of towering, colossal structures inverted, interlocked, and engaged, revealing an entirely new appearance! "I've gotta admit, this bastard Ji Jue really has zero aesthetic sense." At the very center of Limbo, having just wiped the foam from the corners of his mouth, the fairytale old codger could not help sighing once again. Other than being functional, this damn thing had no design whatsoever—it was literally just a six-sided cube! Well, a cube was fine. At least he had argued tooth and nail to keep him from making it a cylinder... Though, on second thought, a cylinder might have been even more fitting. The old codger stroked his beard and grinned, laughing soundlessly. In that moment, while he was lost in reflection, an invisible wave suddenly rose from Limbo. Ripples of light manifested out of thin air, expanding and erupting. Wherever they passed, all things remained unharmed, yet heaven and earth seemed to screech in sharp mourning amidst violent friction! In the span of a breath, countless ripples swept over the entire vista, permeating everything. Every person in their path could scarcely suppress the panic and confusion in their hearts. They could not understand, could not fathom, yet they instinctively sensed that something had been changed, something had been unleashed, something had been added! At this moment, using the entirety of Limbo as a crucible, a brand-new set of rules was birthed from Ji Jue's hands and infused into the entire world! "What... is that...?" At the highest point of Tiancheng, the Pope felt his skin crawl, drenched in cold sweat. He stared blankly at the sky. Higher in the far reaches of the heavens, faint emblems emerged, rising and falling in endless cycles! He was not a Celestial Chosen, so naturally he could not comprehend the meaning behind them—no, behind *Those* they represented! One form faintly manifested, resembling an austere, towering imperial palace. But immediately, it shifted, resembling a pure white stag whose massive antlers pierced the sky. Soon, it turned into a formless, endless path rising ever upward, and then, bone and crimson intertwined as if weaving a crown... In the end, myriad phenomena converged and overlapped. Star after star manifested across the dome of the sky, gathering like kindling into a waterfall that cascaded from the heavens! "Whew..." Ji Jue took a deep breath, savoring the familiar aura, and could not help chuckling softly. "That's more like it. How could we lack on the inside what we have on the outside?" Ascension, Tianyuan, White Stag, Swarm... The manifestations of Sovereign Virtue descend to reign! More precisely, it was... At this moment, within the notification that floated before the eyes of every demon, there was only a single line of text: —[Artificial Sovereign Virtue System V0.7, fully deployed]!