Ch 316: Theodore, Theodore.

A terrifying explosion resounded, instantly spreading across the empty hall.

The lingering echoes of the explosion reverberated in every corner of the hall.

Disturbing centuries of silence.

Countless dust and debris fluttered down.

Black-purple flames spread wantonly across the floor.

When the dust settled, revealing the floor shattered into powder, only a deep pit remained on the ground.

From the edge of the pit, countless cracks spread out like spiderwebs.

Thirty elite Skeleton Mages and five failed Mage Experiments had long been blasted into fragments!

A single meteor strike, causing nearly 100,000 points of area-of-effect explosion damage, cleared the entire area.

Seeing this, Theodore focused his mind.

Directly and precisely retrieving every wisp of dissipated magic power back into his staff.

The rumbling sound above the firmament gradually faded away as well.

【Wrath of the Stars lv4】, an advanced skill modified by the Undead Grand Scholar Abdul, changed the method of chanting and casting.

From the original requirement of chanting for 30 seconds to summon a total of fifty meteorites to descend.

It became possible to summon one meteorite for every second of chanting.

Until all fifty meteorites were summoned.

It was also possible to terminate the casting midway, without needing to summon all fifty meteorites.

In this way, it was possible to reduce the cooldown time of the next 【Fall of the Stars】 according to the corresponding ratio.

The advanced 【Wrath of the Stars】 greatly enhanced Theodore’s mobility, increased the number of casting scenarios, and greatly reduced the waste of output.

Just like now.

A single meteorite directly encircled all the Skeleton Mages and took them all away.

After the battle ended.

Dozens of clusters of emerald light reappeared, all surging towards Theodore, merging into his body.

“Continue!”

However, when Shen Chi and Theodore continued to move forward.

They suddenly discovered that the firmament top and floor, which had been bombarded into ruins by meteorites, had instantly returned to their original state.

Shen Chi didn’t think much of it and continued to walk forward.

The next wave that appeared in front of them was—

One hundred and fifty Skeleton Mages.

Thirty elite Skeleton Mages.

Ten deformed, failed Mage Experiments.

Two Corrupt Healers with Skeleton Healing Art.

The average level had already reached level 40.

Behind the enemy ranks, there was also a Giant Corpse.

This Giant Corpse had a health of up to 500,000.

However, its movement speed was very slow.

Its only method of attack was to get close to the enemy and then cause a full-field explosion.

If Theodore wanted to deal with it.

He would have to clear out the other highly disruptive mage units first.

Shen Chi discovered that the enemies in this relic secret realm all had extremely high physical resistance.

In other words, if they wanted to kill them quickly, they could only rely on magic damage.

This point again verified that this was a mage secret realm.

It was a stage exclusively for Theodore.

Theodore first used a 【Prayer.Silence】, interrupting the chanting of all the mages.

Then, he directly began to chant 【Wrath of the Stars】.

After the Skeleton Mages’ casting was silenced.

The ten deformed, failed Mage Experiments took action first.

Attempting to rely on high-speed movement and physical attacks to forcibly interrupt Theodore’s casting.

The experiments, waving limbs assembled from countless hand bones and leg bones, bounced up like springs.

They almost instantly bounced to Theodore’s front!

They waved their scythe-like sharp limbs and slashed down at Theodore in unison.

Although it only took one second to summon the first meteorite, it still took time for the meteorite to descend from the sky.

But within this short moment, the experiments’ blades had already fallen!

In an instant, hundreds of blades almost completely sealed Theodore inside.

Even if he urgently interrupted the casting of 【Wrath of the Stars】 at this moment, he would not be able to escape from the encirclement immediately.

The experiments’ spliced heads cracked into exaggerated smiles, emitting a sinister and eerie laugh, as if celebrating their imminent victory.

However, the next moment—

Countless emerald green lights suddenly lit up, whistling out from behind Theodore.

Instantly sweeping over the ten experiments.

As soon as the fire touched their sharp limbs, it instantly burned them to ashes, leaving only a layer of ashes floating away.

The experiments, watching these sudden soul fires, let out terrified screams.

One by one, they no longer cared about attacking Theodore, and all frantically waved their limbs in place, trying to extinguish the soul fire on their bodies.

Unfortunately, it was all in vain.

The meteorite had already descended, accurately bombarding the place where the experiments were gathered.

When the third meteorite fell, the ten experiments had already been reduced to ashes.

These soul fires naturally came from Shen Chi behind Theodore!

Although Shen Chi’s soul was only attached to the Immortal Body, he could not fight like his main body.

But his activation of talent abilities was not affected, including the S-grade 【Soul Fire Mastery】!

Even if these experiments had very high physical resistance.

But after several enhancements of controlling soul fire ability, it was completely easy for Shen Chi to clean up these experiments.

Moreover, this relic only required that no other troop types could be carried.

It didn’t say that he couldn’t take action.

Therefore, when Theodore was chanting spells…

It was best for Shen Chi to assist in clearing out the miscellaneous soldiers.

The experiments’ front line, which had the highest mobility and physical damage, was successfully breached.

Theodore’s meteorite chanting did not stop.

By the time the tenth meteorite fell, more than a hundred Skeleton Mages had all been wiped out by the meteorite’s coverage strike.

In the end, only a Giant Corpse with extremely high health remained!

The Giant Corpse did not waver at all, and wobbled towards Theodore.

A meteorite fell, accurately hitting the Giant Corpse.

The explosion lit up, and the dust fell.

The Giant Corpse was only briefly stopped in its tracks, and then it firmly moved towards Theodore again.

The second meteorite fell.

The third one.

The fourth one…

The Giant Corpse had extremely high health and strong defense.

It took a full nine meteorite strikes, and it still didn’t die!

The ruins destroyed by the Giant Corpse’s passage were shocking.

However, the Giant Corpse’s health had already fallen to a dangerous level visible to the naked eye.

However, it was also about to pounce on Theodore.

The next moment, the tenth meteorite happened to fall.

Intercepting and killing it before the Giant Corpse self-destructed.

Ten meteorites, forcibly killing the Giant Corpse!

The Giant Corpse was the first enemy that took so long to kill.

However, a more magnificent cluster of emerald light condensed from the place where the Giant Corpse disappeared, and floated towards Theodore.

After so many rounds, Shen Chi estimated that Theodore had accumulated quite a lot of emerald light spots in his body.

……

I don’t know how long it had been.

I don’t know which round of defense it was already.

In front of Shen Chi and Theodore—

A battle formation ready to go was arranged.

Every soldier in the battle formation was wearing standard armor and war robes.

Among them, the most numerous was the Mage Phalanx.

Countless Skeleton Mages, elite Skeleton Mages, and Rotting Royal Court Mages gathered together as the main output force.

The flanks were composed of the Failed Experiments Phalanx, the Corpse Hyena Phalanx, the Skeleton Spearman Phalanx, and the Frenzied Spell Construct Phalanx.

These phalanxes were responsible for clearing the way for the Mage Legion and buying time for the Mage Legion to chant collectively.

The entire enemy legion had as many as several thousand members.

And on Shen Chi’s side, there were only Shen Chi and Theodore!

The difference in numbers was extremely disparate.

Shen Chi calmly asked:

“Theodore, how long does 【Destruction Storm】 need to chant?”

Theodore replied:

“One minute.”

Shen Chi shook his head.

That’s a bit long, I’m afraid I can’t hold on.

Theodore then replied:

“Lord, if I consume all the accumulated emerald light spots, I can reduce the chanting of 【Destruction Storm】 to ten seconds.”

Shen Chi was stunned.

The first time he killed a Skeleton Mage and obtained that cluster of green light spots, Theodore had said.

These green light spots could be used to bless Theodore himself.

They could be used to shorten the chanting time, reduce the cooldown time, or increase the power of the spell.

The more green light spots accumulated, the stronger the blessing effect.

Now, it could actually reduce the chanting time of 【Destruction Storm】 from sixty seconds to ten seconds!

【Destruction Storm】 was an even more terrifying killing move than 【Wrath of the Stars】.

It originally required an extremely long chanting time in exchange for terrifying power…

Now, the long chanting was shortened to ten seconds!

Shen Chi nodded lightly:

“Ten seconds, I’ll hold it.”

Theodore immediately lowered his head.

Holding the staff tightly in both hands, he began to chant!

First, he threw out a 【Prayer.Silence】 as usual.

Silencing all mage units within a hundred meters.

Then, he began to chant—

【Destruction Storm】!

Abundant magic power continued to surge out from all around.

Like streams, it frantically poured into the staff in Theodore’s hand.

An extremely terrifying storm was brewing!

In front of him, countless Corpse Hyenas, Skeleton Spearmen, Failed Experiments, and Frenzied Spell Constructs began to surge towards Theodore!

Every corner before the hall was filled with terrifying monsters, waving their claws and teeth as they surged forward.

Shen Chi’s expression turned stern.

Countless fires emerged from his body, illuminating the dark corners around the hall.

Hundreds of strands of soul fire swayed and then condensed into a huge beast herd, falling in front of Shen Chi.

Forming an army of soul fire beasts!

Among the beasts, there were fierce tigers, majestic lions, goshawks, vipers, and lizards.

These beasts were all composed of soul fire, and were instantly formed by Shen Chi’s control in a single thought.

One person became an army!

The next moment, this army of soul fire beasts violently collided with the rapidly approaching vanguard of the enemy army.

Experiments, hostile Skeleton Spearmen, Corpse Hyenas, and Frenzied Constructs.

As soon as they collided with the soul fire beasts, they were instantly climbed onto by intense fire, and were devoured and burned by the flames.

In an instant, all the enemy’s vanguard forces were frantically surrounded by soul fire.

Greatly slowing down their pace.

Time flew by.

Once the enemy’s pace was intercepted, ten seconds passed in an instant.

Theodore—

【Destruction Storm】, chanting completed!

Whoosh!!

In an instant, endless gales were generated out of thin air.

Whistling out from every corner of the hall.

Then…

In the stunned gazes of all the enemies.

An extremely huge storm rose from the ground!

The storm was generated in the enemy’s army, instantly lifting hundreds of hyenas, corpses, and experiments into the air!

Sharp black wind blades rotated out.

Within the terrifying storm, the wails of thousands of ghosts rang out in unison.

Groups of ghosts stretched out their sharp claws, pouncing out from the storm and biting at the swept-up enemies!

The newly formed storm instantly snapped hundreds of tall pillars in half.

The floor of the ancient hall cracked in all directions, and before long, it was crushed into powder and flew into the air.

Thousands of enemies were unstoppable under this storm, and were instantly wiped out of their health bars!

The storm lasted a full minute.

No matter how strong the monster’s health was, it would die on the spot.

For example, the Giant Corpse unit behind the enemy army.

A full hundred Giant Corpses with extremely high health were still destroyed by the storm.

The endless sharp wind sounds drummed and howled in the hall for a long time.

When the last wisp of black wind blade fell.

The hall became a ruin.

Deathly silence spread.

Then, countless emerald green light spots, like a sea of light, converged towards Theodore.

Theodore put down his staff.

Shen Chi also didn’t say much.

Continue!

However, when they wanted to move forward.

In just a trance, the hall in front of Shen Chi and Theodore returned to its original state.

The smooth floor, the tall pillars, the silent glass windows, and the cold candlesticks returned to their original positions, as if nothing had ever changed.

However, this time—

Shen Chi discovered that the endless hall had finally…

Reached its end.

A solitary high platform stood silently not far away.

So close that Shen Chi could clearly examine every detail of this high platform.

Including that above the high platform, quietly suspended in the air…

Emerald Shard!

The irregular stone shard emitted an emerald glow at its edges.

On the stone shard, several golden runes were faintly revealed.

Shen Chi calmly turned his head.

“Theodore, go.”

Theodore was silent and quietly stepped forward.

Both of them knew that this was the last step.

Take down the Emerald Shard and then “comprehend.”

Theodore did not hesitate and directly used his staff to float into the air.

Gently landing on the high platform.

He walked step by step closer to the Emerald Shard.

This Emerald Shard had run through his entire life.

The Emerald Shard that Aidoan had never allowed them to approach…

Now, it was right in front of him, within reach.

Theodore suppressed all the thoughts that popped up.

Completely calming down.

Then, he reached out, preparing to take out the Emerald Shard.

However…

Just then.

A gentle voice sounded.

“Theodore.”

The voice was not loud, but it accurately fell into Theodore’s ears.

As soon as this voice came out, Theodore suddenly stopped.

His only remaining skeletal hand stopped in place, unable to move an inch further to take down the Emerald Shard.

It seemed that his whole body had turned into a stone sculpture.

Then, he came back to his senses, little by little, mechanically turning around.

The head without flesh and blood only had two empty eye sockets.

He could no longer make any real expressions.

However, in those eye sockets, the soul fire vibrated violently.

Standing in front of him was a man.

The man was wearing a simple mage robe, peacefully watching Theodore.

This gaze was very gentle and kind, without a trace of estrangement, as if time had not passed for too long.

However, between them, one had already turned into bones, and one was nowhere to be found.

Aidoan.

A person like a father and brother.

When Theodore, when all believers were plunged into despair.

He descended like an envoy of God.

His whole body exuded a sacred and warm radiance.

Pulling them, who were about to drown, one by one from the toiling sea of the mortal world, without giving up on any of them.

In an instant, endless torrents of time mixed with rusty fragments of memories.

Crushing through Theodore’s soul.

……

Aidoan, as if meeting him for the first time, gently called out to Theodore.

“Come to my side, I will take the brothers and sisters away from the suffering human world and go to the paradise indicated by the gods.”

Theodore once thought.

This person would take him and all the believers out of the endless nightmare.

And head to an ideal world full of light and without dust.

What a pity.

……

Aidoan’s voice sounded softly again:

“Theodore, take the Emerald Shard off and give it to me.”

Kind, gentle, and full of bewitchment.

The exact same tone, across a long, long time, rang in Theodore’s ears.

Theodore fell silent.

Then, without much hesitation, he did as Aidoan instructed.

He turned around, reached out, and directly took off the Emerald Shard.

Then, he turned around again.

Walking towards Aidoan!

Aidoan watched Theodore gently, patiently waiting for Theodore to come step by step.

However, when Theodore slowly approached Aidoan.

The staff in his hand was also raised together—