Chapter 498: Elder Zhuang Falls!
The Rank 9 Disintegration Cannon had a simple yet terrifying function to break down energy. Any living being struck by it had almost no chance of survival.
Even defensive soul barriers used by Rank 9 Soul Engineers often failed to withstand its attack.
To resist the Disintegration Cannon, one's defensive power had to be at least three times stronger than the cannon's attack power.
This meant that only those with Rank 7 Invincible Barriers or those protected by coordinated defensive soul tool formations from elite regiments like the Hand of the Empire could survive a direct hit.
In essence, a single shot from the Rank 9 Disintegration Cannon was already comparable to an attack from a Limit Douluo.
However, despite its immense power, it had two major weaknesses low speed and lack of precision.
Hitting a highly skilled, rapid moving target was extremely difficult.
Wang Yiheng hoisted the massive three meter long, spear shaped cannon onto his shoulder.
As he poured soul power into it, the entire weapon darkened into an ominous shade of deep green.
At the barrel's tip, a black hole like distortion formed a tear in space itself, radiating pure destruction.
Through Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing, Wang Yiheng locked onto Elder Zhuang's every movement.
With a steady aim, he fired.
A dark green beam instantly tore through the air toward Elder Zhuang.
As a Super Douluo specializing in support, Elder Zhuang's perception was exceptionally keen.
The moment the dark green beam shot toward him, a chilling premonition crawled up his spine.
Instinctively, he moved to dodge.
As the wielder of the Tree of Life Martial Soul, Elder Zhuang excelled in healing, not defense.
Trying to tank the attack would be foolish survival was the priority.
Just as the Disintegration Cannon's beam was about to pass through the Silver Moon Divine Light Barrier, everything changed.
The barrier suddenly shrank, its spatial power surging.
The inner space compressed, forcing the Shrek elders to cluster together.
Bright soul rings flared as they struggled to break free, but the barrier held firm.
Elder Zhuang's dodge failed.
Before he could escape, Kong Deming manipulated the barrier's space forcing him back to his original position.
The green beam arrived.
BOOM!
The beam pierced through his defensive soul barrier, leaving a small hole.
Then, the beam drilled through, straight to his head.
The white soul power protecting him melted away like snow in sunlight.
Elder Zhuang's muscles tensed, veins bulging across his forehead.
Desperately, he poured all his soul power into resisting the attack, but it was futile.
The Disintegration Cannon's nature was to break down all energy soul power included.
Had he possessed a Rank 7 Invincible Barrier, he might have survived.
But such a high grade soul tool was something the Sun Moon Empire would never export.
With a final, desperate roar, he attempted to activate his Martial Soul True Body, but
Too late.
SPLAT!
His skull burst open, a mist of blood exploding outward.
His body trembled, soul rings flickering as healing light enveloped him.
But the rate of energy decay was too fast.
The Tree of Life's vitality could not overcome the Disintegration Cannon's relentless destruction.
His body dissolved into green particles
And vanished completely.
A Super Douluo, an Elder of Shrek Academy, had fallen.
"Xiao Zhuang!!!"
Xuan Zi's roar was filled with agony.
His vision blurred with tears, his chest tight with grief and fury.
A brother in arms, dead.
If it hadn't been for a traitor, how could Kong Deming have set up this ambush in advance?!
There had to be a spy in the academy!
Was it Yan Shaozhe?
But Xuan Zi had personally watched over him there was no way he could have sent information to the Sun Moon Empire.
Unless…
Unless he had leaked the entire plan before even leaving the academy!
Yet, he lacked evidence.
He couldn't prove that Yan Shaozhe was truly the traitor!
The other Shrek elders were also grief stricken.
Elder Zhuang had been one of them for years.
They had fought together, lived together, bled together.
Now, he was gone.
Nearby, Kong Deming stood at the center of the Silver Moon Divine Light Barrier, his focus entirely on controlling it.
The reason the barrier had held strong despite the Shrek elders' furious attacks was spatial manipulation.
By dispersing their attacks into space, he had negated their force.
He had seen Elder Zhuang's death and murmured to himself:
"Since the Rank 9 Disintegration Cannon was invented, this is the first time a Super Douluo has died to it."
"Huo Yuhao, this is your achievement."
"Without your Spiritual Detection Sharing, Wang Yiheng's accuracy would've dropped significantly."
Huo Yuhao shook his head modestly.
"Elder Kong, this wasn't my achievement alone."
"You and Wang Yiheng both played a crucial role. Without your support, the Disintegration Cannon's attack might not have landed."
Even 10,000 years in the future, weapons like the Disintegration Cannon and Fixed Soul Guidance Artillery Shells still had the same flaw they were devastatingly powerful but incredibly difficult to aim.
That's why, even in the future, when the Holy Spirit Cult bombed Shrek Academy with Rank 12 Fixed Soul Guidance Artillery, they targeted the academy itself
Because hitting an actual Limit Douluo like Yun Ming was impossible.
A stationary target was one thing.
A moving target especially a powerful individual was another.
Wang Yiheng lowered the Disintegration Cannon, his face flushed with excitement.
"Duke Huo, you overpraise me."
"What I did was nothing special."
"Any Rank 9 Soul Engineer could have taken my place."
"But without you and Elder Kong, this would have never been possible."
Despite his humble words, his hands trembled with exhilaration.
He had just fired a weapon so rare that even the Hand of the Empire didn't have access to it.
However, the Disintegration Cannon had one major drawback
It couldn't be fired continuously.
For now, he had to wait before using it again.
But the battle was far from over.
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