Chapter 427: The Times Have Changed
As expected, they were Northern folk—thick-skinned as ever. Zhou Ning couldn't decide whether to be annoyed or amused.
They were the type who not only fit perfectly as his "experience fodder," being completely countered by his build, but also embodied a peculiar blend of cunning, cruelty, and absurdity. Whenever faced with mortal danger, even if someone stomped on their heads, they'd hypnotize themselves into thinking, "Not a bad deal—I dirtied his shoe with my tongue anyway." A typical product of their era.
By then, the sound of heavy, thunderous footsteps was approaching. A massive pack of werewolves charged through the streets under the summons of the Moonlight Direwolf, Seras. Although many had already perished beneath Ronald Cregi's lightning, their sheer numbers remained staggering—countless, a wave stretching endlessly into the distance.
But at the street's entrance, the defenders had long since fortified the area. Earthen barricades and stone bulwarks were piled high, lined with rows of machine guns and cannons. Overhead floated a hovering airship, bristling with weapons and ready for battle. Even its hull bore densely etched alchemical arrays—extravagant to the point of absurdity.
As the werewolf tide came surging forward, the airship lowered slightly, adjusting the angles of its cannons and gun turrets.
In an instant, smoke and flame filled the air. The rattling roar of machine guns and the thunderous boom of cannons tore through the night, shredding the front ranks of the charging beasts.
But their bloodlust drove them on, heedless of death. More surged forward over the fallen, some even leaping high into the air, trying to drag the airship down. Yet before they could reach it, their bodies were riddled with bullets and fell silently to the ground.
They were transcendents in flesh, but still fell in rows before the relentless power of steel and science—mowed down like grass.
"Sir, the times have changed," Zhou Ning murmured, shaking his head at the carnage.
He turned his gaze back to the true battlefield, where the Moonlight Direwolf Seras clashed with Angus Motley. Though Seras was an angel whose divine rank far exceeded Angus's, the loss of the crimson moon had clearly weakened it. Perhaps it had been wounded even before this. Surrounded now by Angus's forces and over a dozen transcendent mastiffs, it found itself momentarily stalled.
Yet its fur remained immaculate, untouched—while Angus and his comrades were already covered in cuts and blood.
"Judging by the situation," Zhou Ning analyzed coolly, "even without the red moon's power-up, Angus Motley still isn't a match for Seras. If necessary, I'll intervene again. My Agility boost still has plenty of time left, and the Heavenly King's Laser Beam skill is off cooldown. There shouldn't be any issue."
The Moonlight Direwolf lowered its stance slightly, its ghostly blue eyes locking onto Angus Motley with a mix of cruelty and savage fury.
Moments later, it pawed at the ground—then lunged forward like a meteor.
"God says, No passage beyond this point!"
A high-tier warrior of the War God Church stepped forward, his right hand extended solemnly as he invoked divine law. A translucent barrier instantly rose before Seras—only to shatter a heartbeat later with an earsplitting crash as the direwolf smashed through it, soaring high into the air.
"Violation of divine law shall be punished."
Even as the priest's words fell, Seras's massive body jerked backward as if yanked by invisible chains. It let out a furious roar, the shockwave sending nearby fighters reeling, their minds dazed and footing unsteady. Worse still, that roar seemed to rouse the distant werewolves to greater frenzy, their assault on the city's barricades intensifying to a breaking point.
Moments later, Seras broke free again and charged straight toward the priest who had dared to bind it.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Angus Motley sprinted forward, wielding a slender sword. With a sharp motion, he slashed upward, trying to block the attack.
Zhou Ning narrowed his eyes slightly. Adjusting the magazine on his Retribution pistol to ensure the transcendent rounds were loaded in the second slot, he activated Family Creed and Battle Echo, then aimed squarely at Seras and pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As expected, the second bullet triggered the Transcendent Bullet effect. The first shot was imbued with Conqueror's Haki, the second gleamed silver-white, and the third burned with swirling flame.
The three rounds arced through the rain, striking Seras midair—all hitting the exact same spot.
–18965!
–19635!
–13285!
Seras howled in agony. Its forward charge was abruptly cut short as its body crashed to the ground like a fallen star, carving a massive crater and losing a huge chunk of its vitality.
"Attack it!" Zhou Ning barked, already dashing forward.
Angus Motley froze for a split second, stunned by what he'd just seen. The three bullets had passed right beside him. He'd felt their killing intent at point-blank range. If that young man had harbored even a trace of hostility, he would already be dead.
But realization quickly dawned. Looking at the struggling Seras, Angus's expression hardened. His body began to change—his frame swelling rapidly, muscles bulging until his clothes tore apart, revealing intricate, multicolored divine markings etched across his skin.
This was the combat form of a demigod—his incomplete Mythic Form. It couldn't last long, so he hadn't dared use it before. But now, with the tide turning, he unleashed it without hesitation.
He scattered a handful of gray-green powder into the air. Immediately, the space around Seras warped violently as a localized Compound Catastrophic Weather took form.
The ground trembled, the soil collapsing into quicksand beneath Seras's feet, while fierce winds and crackling thunder raged overhead.
"As expected of a demigod-level meteorologist," Zhou Ning thought silently. "My Heavenly King and Cortés Sword can only change one weather type at a time—they can't layer multiple effects like this or control the exact area so precisely."
Seras bellowed, utterly enraged. Its slit pupils darkened to crimson as it braced its hind legs, preparing to break free from the quicksand.
But before it could, another War God Church transcendent stepped forward and proclaimed again:
"God says, No passage beyond this point!"
Another translucent barrier appeared above Seras—shattered instantly, but triggering divine punishment in return. An unseen force dragged Seras downward once more, plunging it back into the quicksand, thrashing helplessly.
Zhou Ning could only stare, somewhat speechless.
Angus Motley tightly maintained the localized storm, while three War God transcendents rotated their divine decrees one after another. Meanwhile, rows of musketeers and artillery bombarded the area relentlessly. Smoke and flame filled the night, explosions shaking the earth. Zhou Ning had planned to help—but found, to his mild embarrassment, that there was no need for him to lift a finger.
By the end, he hadn't even dealt a finishing blow. Under the coordinated assault of one demigod and a group of mortals, the Moonlight Direwolf Seras collapsed—its body torn apart, blood soaking the ground. It let out a final, sorrowful howl before its flesh dissolved, leaving only a massive white skeleton and a small black crystal.
Its soul and body had returned to the Spirit Realm.
This was the new era. Even an angel could now fall to mortals.
The system panel flickered with notifications:
[You have completed the A-rank quest: "Rescue Angus Motley." You gained 5.2 million EXP.]
[You have unlocked Reputation: Kingdom of Sepharic — Current Status: Indifferent.]
[You have gained Favorability with the Motley Family — Current Status: Respect. Claim additional rewards?]
Zhou Ning chose No for the moment.
From the skies descended Ronald Cregi, Cardinal of the Sea God Church, borne by the wind itself. He glanced at Seras's remains, then turned to Angus Motley.
"Angus," he asked gravely, "do you understand what happened? Why did Seras suddenly reappear?"
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