Chapter 549: Pride

The formation on the ground had strengthened the earth to an unfathomable degree and the impact of Rowan's body left no single grain of dust disturbed.

A peculiar force that Rowan was now a bit familiar with as he had experienced it a while back began spreading around his body. It was Decay.

He quickly realized that the potency of this one was far lesser than what he had experienced during the Berserker Tribulation, and so it could only cause him great pain as his body was repeatedly corroded but still not quickly enough before he healed the damage, but since the energy was persistent, the cycle continued, making Rowan's skin increasingly pale.

The increasing weight on his body did not cease and was still being constantly boosted, with the ground below him not giving way, and it appeared as if he was going to be grounded to dust.

In a short while Rowan's body was beginning to shatter into pieces, and he could only hold himself together with his Telekinesis, as even his regeneration was beginning to struggle with the damages being accumulated in his body.

His skin and muscles were peeling off, and his golden blood was being suppressed back into his marrows, dull metallic cracks were escaping from his prone body as a million cracks erupted all over his bones but were healed shortly after.

The sound that was escaping from his body as it was being repeatedly crushed into pieces was horrifying, it was enough to make even an Earth god go insane with revulsion.

Because Rowan was grinning. No one should have this expression when they are being tortured to this extent.

Amid all this pain, Rowan's eyes became fixed on the two pieces of the falling moon, a Major World was so large it would take time for it to reach its surface.

He was admiring the way the flames curved around its falling form, heating up space to such a high degree that in its descents it created a beautiful contrail of red, that reminded him of the dress he made for his mother, Elura the Empyrean of Life.

The many clouds of smoke and breaking debris reminded him of flowers—Roses.

For a moment he wondered why this thought occurred to him at this very moment.

"I miss you mother. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to make his existence miserable, and before he dies, he shall apologize a million times for the suffering he caused us all." he muttered through his broken and shattered mouth, and he laughed aloud as the energy from the formation increased again, and he had to increase his concentration to counter it as his blood began to boil,

"Yes... this is what I want! This is the challenge I need!"

What was happening to his body was directly opposite of what Eruption did when he activated it.

Eruption burned his vitality and gave him endless growth, but he had to always place it in check so as not to lose his sanity, while this Formation sought to destroy his vitality while suppressing him.

The opposing nature of this formation on his body gave him a brand new experience about his techniques that made him gasp in sheer enjoyment.

Then everything just clicked and he understood a barrier holding him back.

Rowan's body exploded with a bright golden light that erupted from his body and blasted into space, vaporizing the falling parts of the moon in space, he had just received enlightenment when he was suppressed with this Formation, and his understanding of Eruption had grown.

He did not need his Primordial Record to check that Eruption just reached 50%

Using his Intent as a bridge, Rowan began pouring Essence strengthened by Eruption into Envy, the Axe had grown enough to handle this sort of power, and she did not disappoint.

A faint ripple emerged from Envy, as a dome of vibrational force covered Rowan, and was pulsing as if it was a heart.

This was Vibrational Force backed by Berserker Intent!

Rowan wanted to fight against this formation and his Berserker Intent was accomplishing his will.

This dome resisted the power being exerted by the formation on Rowan, and his fingers twitched, followed by his arms and then legs, with a soft groan Rowan began to rise, pushing himself to one knee.

Tenma looked at the weapon in Rowan's hand and shock rippled through his heart, he called his weapon—Pride to his side, and the guitar resting on the pillow of darkness came to his hands, but the movement of the guitar was erratic, almost as if it was sleeping, but when Tenma held it, the guitar shook itself as if awakening and then there was a pause as the weapon observed what was occurring around itself.

Its strings began to thrum by themselves in excitement and Tenma gently caressed it, "I know Pride, you are not alone... what? I can find the map to that Realm if I bring you together. Hahaha, say no more, even if I have to bring this entire galaxy into darkness, I shall have my prize!"

Tenma watched Rowan struggling to his two feet, his back bent against the pressure, and he could not help but marvel at this accomplishment. What this monster was using to battle against the might of this Formation was pure physical strength, even after his weapon must have aided him.

"Increase the power of the Formation, wear him to dust!"

Tenma commanded the gods behind him and turned to follow the spectacle of the monster struggling below him, his heart beating a thousand times a second at the prize he had been waiting for millions of years being presented before him, but as he turned to look at Rowan's position, his heart went still.

Rowan was gone.

His eyes widened as he turned to look behind him, and five of the gods that had been shining in their glory suddenly shook, their light fading away, and before the astonished eyes of everyone they came apart into pieces.

Their Divine Bodies had been diced into small pieces and in the midst of all the gore, a perfect body brimming with strength, holding a great red axe and grinning as if he was having the greatest fun in his life was in their midst.