Power of Runes

Chapter 460: Celestial Calamity Phoenix (2)

-THUNDERRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearing away all sorts of unnecessary thoughts, Ash instantly calmed his mind and entered a state of complete focus as the surroundings around him seemingly began to slow down.

[Omni Thought]

[Eye of Omniscience]

[Parallel Thinking]

He activated three skills simultaneously, and in the very next moment, his eyes turned completely golden.

Even then, he could still see the Lightning Phoenix rushing toward him at a terrifying speed. It was no longer impossibly fast like before due to the effects of his abilities enhancing his perception and thought processing speed, but even so, the Phoenix would still reach him within the next few seconds.

Which meant he had almost no time left.

Ash’s mind rapidly began searching for solutions to counter the Lightning Tribulation before him.

One thought after another appeared continuously inside his head. Some possibilities were carefully analyzed and pondered upon, while others were discarded almost instantly the moment flaws appeared within them.

At the same time, Eva was also fully utilizing her computational abilities to search for a possible method of survival. Since she possessed complete access to all of Ash’s data and abilities, she immediately began calculating every possible outcome while simultaneously analyzing the structure and composition of the Red Lightning Phoenix itself.

Meanwhile, Ash’s golden eyes continued peering deeply into the Lightning Phoenix, extracting information after information from it with the help of Eye of Omniscience.

════════ < ANALYSIS > ════════

[Name] – Celestial Calamity Phoenix

[True Identity] – Remnant Will of the Celestial Calamity Phoenix

[Type] – Heavenly Tribulation Manifestation

[Classification] – Pseudo Lifeform

[Threat Level] – Extreme

[Origin] – Heavenly Tribulation

[Composition] – Red Heavenly Lightning + Heavenly Will + Remnant Will of Celestial Calamity Phoenix

═══════ < ABILITIES > ═══════

◈ Heavenly Punishment

◈ Divine Lightning Manipulation

◈ Phoenix Pressure

◈ Regenerative Reconstruction

◈ Will Suppression

◈ Target Lock

═══════ < WEAKNESSES > ═══════

[Manifestation Stability] – Low

[Independent Intelligence] – Low

[Existence Duration] – Temporary

═══════ < WARNING > ═══════

[Estimated Survival Rate] – 0.3%

[Result Prediction]

-Direct collision will completely incinerate the current body within 1 Seconds.

[Warning:]

-The entity possesses traces of Calamity Phoenix.

-Fear response detected in nearby lifeforms.

═════════════════════════

"Crazy, haha haha haha...."

Even after seeing such horrifying analysis results, Ash suddenly laughed out loud instead.

Not because he had gone insane, but because the absurdity of the situation genuinely amused him. Somehow, every impossible situation always seemed to find its way toward him.

{How can you laugh at a moment like this? Be serious for once, Ash.}

Eva’s frustrated voice echoed inside his mind, clearly unable to understand how he could still remain so relaxed after seeing a survival rate that low.

But Ash ignored her complaint as countless thoughts rapidly connected together inside his mind.

I needed one second to awaken my heart, but now I would also die within one second. What a drag!!

A helpless smile appeared on his face.

It really feels like I live true to my name....Forsaken One.....even my own words can alter the future to this extent. I seriously need to become more mindful about what I say and do in the future...

Although he understood that the current situation had partially become worse because of his own actions, this was neither the right time nor place to dwell on regrets.

Right now, survival came first.

Meanwhile, the Lightning Phoenix had already reached extremely close to him. The terrifying pressure radiating from its body crashed against Ash like an endless tidal wave, while red lightning wildly danced around the sky.

There was barely any distance left between them anymore.

Ash steadied himself in midair.

Originally, he intended to directly attack the manifestation and reduce as much of its power as possible before impact.

But just as he took his stance, Evangeline suddenly spoke again.

{I think there is another alternative to survive this...but it is extremely dangerous.}

Ash’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Tell me then.

{I analyzed all the future paths you saw earlier, and I noticed something. You see, you have....So if everything happens exactly as I calculated, there is a 1% chance that not only will you survive, but you will also awaken your heart, become much stronger, and even gain leverage after everything is over.}

Ash fell silent for a brief moment after hearing those odds.

Then he smiled faintly.

1% chance is much better than 0.3% chance. I will follow your plan then. I am glad I have you with me.

Saying so, Ash slowly relaxed his body and allowed the Celestial Calamity Phoenix to strike him directly.

-THUNDER!!!!!!!!!

-RUMBLEE!!!!!!!

-BOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****

How can someone even survive that...??

The Shark Kin Leader, Gill, could not help but think that as he stared at the terrifying manifestation of the Lightning Phoenix descending from the heavens.

The Lightning Phoenix was a majestic yet horrifying existence formed entirely from condensed Red Heavenly Lightning. Its body appeared semi-transparent, as though countless strands of crimson lightning had been forcibly compressed together into the shape of a divine bird.

Every single feather on its body resembled flowing currents of destructive lightning, constantly flickering and crackling with violent energy capable of tearing apart the surroundings.

Its eyes glowed with a cold golden-red light completely devoid of emotion, carrying an oppressive divinity that made it feel less like a living creature and more like a direct manifestation of Heaven’s Will itself.

The wings of the Phoenix stretched magnificently across the sky, and with every flap, thunderous explosions echoed throughout the heavens while countless arcs of red lightning spread wildly through the dark clouds around it.

Even its cry alone was enough to make many weaker-willed individuals lose consciousness instantly, while some even bled from their ears after their hearing was shattered by the terrifying sound.

Gill’s body trembled uncontrollably beneath that ancient pressure, while fear slowly bloomed within his heart.

And he hated that feeling.

It was an unpleasant sensation that made him deeply uncomfortable.

But the reason behind his emotions was not simply because the power before him was overwhelmingly beyond his level.

No.

Gill already knew that nobody at the Demi God Rank should have been capable of surviving something like that.

What truly made him feel ashamed and disgusted with himself was something else entirely.

He could clearly sense that the person facing this Heavenly Tribulation was similar to him.

Perhaps even weaker than him.

Yet despite standing before such absolute destruction, there was not even the slightest trace of fear or hesitation visible within Ash’s eyes.

Instead of fear...

Those eyes remained deeply focused, calm and sharp, as though they were analyzing an enemy meant to be conquered.

What was even more absurd was that the man was actually laughing in front of all of this madness.

That person possessed an overflowing charisma powerful enough to unconsciously attract and move the hearts of others.

And Gill was not the only one feeling this.

Everyone watching could feel it.

Be it the Ocean Elf Princess, Seris, the Tidal Colossus Leviathan, Elder Lian, or many others observing the scene even from extremely far away.

All of them were unconsciously drawn toward the terrifying calmness and conviction Ash displayed in the face of certain death.

But then...

The person they were watching slowly relaxed his body and allowed the Lightning Phoenix to swallow him whole.

The sight instantly caused many people to gasp aloud in shock.

Only one question echoed inside their minds at that moment.

Did he give up..?

And then.....

-BOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whiteness engulfed the entire surroundings, depriving everyone of their sight for a brief millisecond.

****

Many things were happening at the same time, so it was necessary to slow everything down a little to properly understand what was truly happening.

The very moment the Celestial Calamity Phoenix touched Ash’s body, his body instinctively reacted on its own.

Passive abilities such as [Undying Endurance], [Immortal Bones], [Titan’s Vitality], [Immutable Vitality], and many other life saving abilities activated instantly without requiring any conscious command from him. Every one of those abilities desperately tried to reduce, suppress, and negate as much damage as possible from the horrifying Red Heavenly Lightning.

For a brief moment, countless layers of defensive power surged throughout his body.

But no matter how many abilities there were, they were still struggling against the terrifying destructive force of the Red Lightning.

The gap in power was simply too overwhelming.

His flesh began to get thoroughly destroyed at a horrifying speed while the crimson lightning violently ravaged everything inside his body.

The destructive energy moved like an uncontrollable flood, tearing through muscles, blood, and flesh without showing the slightest mercy.

And Ash watched all of this unfold in slow motion through his accelerated perception.

Naturally, the pain he was experiencing was beyond extreme.

It was not ordinary pain anymore.

Every part of his body felt as though it was being burned, torn apart, and erased simultaneously from existence itself. If an ordinary person experienced even a fraction of that agony, they would either lose consciousness instantly or go completely insane.

Yet despite all of that, Ash forcibly pushed the pain aside.

Right now, he could not afford to lose focus even for a single microsecond.

Every fraction of a second mattered.

And the moment nearly one fourth of his body had already been destroyed by the raging Red Lightning, Ash calmly called out the names of several more skills.

[Gravitational Singularity]

[Energy Devour]

[Assimilation]

[Synthesis]

[Lightning Manipulation]

[False Death]

[Titan Physique]

[Eternal Rebirth]

[Crimson Regeneration]

[Blood Heal]

Indeed, the crazy idea Eva suggested was to directly Assimilate and Synthesize the Celestial Calamity Phoenix itself.

It was an utterly insane plan.

The very manifestation created from Crimson Heavenly Lightning, Heavenly Will, and traces of a Calamity Phoenix Will was something capable of instantly annihilating him, yet instead of rejecting or escaping from it, Ash was planning to forcefully absorb and merge with it.

Any normal person hearing such an idea would think he had completely lost his mind.

But this was the only path Eva managed to calculate that gave him a higher survival rate.

If Ash succeeded, then not only would he survive the Heavenly Tribulation, but he could also obtain unimaginable benefits from it. The destructive Crimson Lightning could become nourishment for his dormant heart, while the traces of the Calamity Phoenix’s Will might strengthen both his body and abilities tremendously.

Of course, failure would also mean exposing the fact that he could revive himself, and that alone would bring countless complications in the future.

But despite all those risks, Ash still chose this path.

The reason being his Undying factor.

He possessed the ability to attempt something this insane in the first place, so if he did not attempt it, it would not be fair.

****