Chapter 807: Swallowed Whole

Devouring the Primedival Pyramid was easier said than done. The construct might be in shambles now, but it had survived for millennia. It wasn't made from cheap material. If anything, the materials used to build the Primedival Pyramid were probably more valuable than everything it stored.

The Pyramid was the last mark left behind by the Undead Pharaoh. Using the Primedival Pyramid's materials was probably the best choice, but Michael didn't like it. His brother was betrayed in it. He didn't want to see a single sandstone of the Primedival Pyramid ever again.

Therefore, Michael unleashed the fury of True Extraction and Swallow Domain. The massive shadow of the World Serpent conjured overhead as Michael levitated above the Primedival Pyramid's ruins. Thick, golden veins passed through the enormous creature, granting it the energy required to expand even further.

Michael supplied Swallow Domain with every trace of curse power coursing through his Cursed Seals. The curse power within 51 Cursed Seals fused with the compressed might of 53 Serpent Seals, forming the World Serpent's first Major Seal. But Michael was not yet done. He knew the massive serpent hissing valiantly above him wouldn't make it.

Michael summoned the Soul Grimoire and released the might of the 7-Star Soultrait. He retrieved tens of Soul Tears and applied one on each active Seal. However, there was more. Michael used more Soul Tears on his other Soultraits, his Soul, and the Curses' Essence. He knew that his Curses would gain more power through every Soul Tear applied to the active Seals and that their augmented Essence would grant them even more control, but he couldn't care less now.

Thinking back to the day he found out about his brother's death. His blood boiled, and uncontrollable rage filled him. His emotions got out of control. Nothing mattered anymore. The only thing Michael desired was the destruction of the Primedival Pyramid.

"Devour!" A terrifying roar escaped his lips as he commanded the Curses to follow his will. They obeyed. They bent to his will. A trace of their Essence flowed into the Major Seals.

The massive serpent above Michael joined his roar as it expanded in all directions. Paradise Valley's center was swallowed in eerie darkness as the ginormous serpent covered the sun. It continued expanding until its colossus body covered everything.

Michael took a deep breath. Thick beads of sweat trickled down his back, joining the river of sweat that drenched his clothes. His jittery right hand rose slowly into the air, and the massive serpent followed. Its head shot high into the air, and the colossus' body followed suit.

Michael could instinctively tell that the Primedival Pyramid's ruins were going to cause some petty problems even though the World Serpent and Wolf Curse used a trace of their essence to empower True Extraction and Swallow Domain. However, Michael didn't stop. On the contrary, he used ten layers of Enhancement to empower Swallow Domain and True Extraction for a quarter of a second as his arm shot down.

The shadow serpent's head expanded as it shot down. It burst through Michael, pashing through him, and crashed into Paradise Valley's ground without slowing down. The ground tremored wildly, shaking the settlements dozens of kilometers from the Primedival Pyramid, but Michael didn't care. His whole attention lay on the Primedival Pyramid, even as a shockwave filled with curse power burst in all directions, hurling a wave of sand everywhere.

He activated Spirit Eyes and covered his eyes with a thin layer of origin energy to block the grains of sand threatening to obscure his vision. He observed intently as the curse power within Swallow Domain was used up and rejoiced as the columns and walls of the ruins disappeared in the eerie darkness of the World Serpent's first Major Seal.

The shadow serpent was so massive that its body continued descending upon the Primedival Pyramid even after a full minute. The fiercely burning sunlight returned to the center of Paradise Valley, yet the world didn't return to what it used to be. Michael coughed blood, and his complexion worsened visibly. If it was anyone else, one may presume that the Awakened was about to die, but Michael grit his teeth through the pain that assaulted him all of a sudden.

He descended to the ground, where his legs gave in. Michael slumped to the ground, barely able to activate Archangel's Grace to heal...whatever was wrong with him.

His head was buzzing, and his body didn't want to listen to him anymore. Only his Soul didn't feel different from before.

[You shouldn't try ordering us around.] The World Serpent said as a matter of fact. It didn't sound angry, but Michael could perceive how the World Serpent felt. It was...hungry...confused...and frustrated.

The Wolf Curse growled in Michael's head, and similar emotions overcame him. However, the Wolf Serpent was even hungrier than the World Serpent. The Wolf Curse was also not confused. It was just angry...at his incompetence.

Suddenly, the Wolf Curse's Major Seal activated. Michael didn't even initiate the activation of Permute, but the Major Seal was activated at full power. The Wolf Curse activated the Major Seal and used Permute on everything Swallow Domain had devoured.

A significant portion of everything Swallow Domain had devoured disappeared. In response, Archangel's Grace gained tremendous power - temporary only -, enough to mend Michael. At least, that was what it felt like. However, Michael picked up something through his heightened senses that made him question whether it was actually Archangel's Grace that healed him or not.

[You tried to dominate the traces of our Essences with your Essence. It's funny to witness fools trying to overpower and control what cannot be controlled.] The World Serpent declared, [There are things you cannot control, and stuff an insignificant being such as yourself will never be able to do. Not if you continue like this.]

Michael didn't understand anything. He had no idea what his Essence was, let alone that he had something like Essence in the first place.

It was not difficult to figure that the World Serpent was jealous of him. That his power surprised the World Serpent once again.

[Or your foolishness. You realize you nearly died just to remove the Primedival Pyramid's ruins...right?] Danny's voice appeared in Michael's head.

"I don't need anymore lectures," Michael murmured to himself, but he could tell his brother wasn't satisfied with his actions.

[Was it really necessary to do this? Or did you want to show off how strong you've grown? If that's the case, congratulations! You nearly killed yourself to show off your power!]

Even though Danny said that Michael could tell that his brother was shocked to the core. Michael had to lie to say that he wasn't surprised either. Swallow Domain had been a lot stronger than expected.

He aimed at the Primedival Pyramid with Swallow Domain after using the curse power contained within his unlocked Seals, the Essence traces of the Wolf Curse, the World Serpent, and more than 100 Soul Tears. Putting that aside, Michael had also used nearly his entire Energy Pillar's energy to supply 10 Enhancement Layers unleashed onto Swallow Domain and True Extraction for a quarter of a second.

The result was exactly what Michael expected...and more. The Primedival Pyramid was no more. Nothing related to it was left.

A massive hole encasing everything that had once been the Primedival Pyramid was all Michael left behind. And, of course, the energy that was still kept inside Swallow Domain.

Michael followed the Wolf Curse's lead and utilized Permute once again. He used the energy to replenish the Essence traces used by the Wolf Curse and the World Serpent before transforming some of the Primedival Pyramid's ruins into the curse power he'd used up to devour everything. Only when Michael's curse power was filled to the brim, and all Essence traces returned to where they belonged, Michael felt better.

There was still more than enough of the ruins inside Swallow Domain to use it. Removing the Primedival Pyramid ought to give him some benefits.

Michael collected something from his War Rune and smiled lightly. He initiated Permute once again and tapped into the remains kept inside Swallow Domain.

He got started a moment later.

[What are you doing?] Danny asked in Michael's mind.

Michael could easily imagine his brother's deep frown. However, Michael could only smile.

"I'm readying my trump card!"