This makes things even worse, and the situation becomes increasingly difficult to manage. Most normal people would probably choose to run away.
"But if I run away, this thing will rush up the tower and kill the professor, Hongye, and many other unfortunate poor people."
Angela nodded.
"Besides, Angela, you also hope that I can use my wisdom to solve this problem, right?"
Angela nodded for the third time: "Now that you understand the problem, Master, if you can solve it with your own wisdom, you should be able to reach the next level."
Upon hearing this, Hayden couldn't help but rub his temples: "What if I can't answer that?"
Ange tilted her head: "That would be a bit troublesome."
Alas, this leaves us with no choice.
"If that's the case, then let's go!"
Hayden grinned, clenched his fist, and surprisingly, put the remaining power of the great project to use again.
"When I'm pushed to this point, I've never lost!"
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, Hayden once again manipulated the remaining parts of the Great Project, and boundless power immediately surged forth. He seemed determined to disregard the cost, ignoring the risk that using this power would amplify the stillborn god, and instead intend to preemptively kill the stillborn!
He seemed to have grasped some truth, and once he understood, he no longer hesitated or feared, but instead faced the challenge head-on. He stretched out his right hand, and a giant hand composed of countless stars emerged from the void, transforming into a colossal fist that pierced through the air, unleashing a world-destroying punch at the stillborn infant god!
boom!
Now the two sides were almost evenly matched, and the giant wave of the Dead Sea that the stillborn child god was riding on was instantly shattered. Although the stillborn child was dead and had little thought, it seemed somewhat surprised for a moment.
Why is this magician suddenly going to start killing people?!
Hayden would never let go of such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
When he was driven to the brink of despair last time, he used his own body as collateral to distort time and space to borrow power from the future, helping Pania become a god, resurrect Alastor, and defeat [Bo Xun].
In the previous battle against Pazuzu, Hayden also went all out, forcing out every card of his opponent, which led to Pazuzu being blasted out by the Climate Control System.
In the last battle against Kureha and the demons, he fought until he had no magic left, but still won in the end.
This time, taking advantage of the fact that the Dead Sea's giant waves were shattered by his Starry Sky Giant Fist, Hayden actually forced his giant hand through the exploded Dead Sea droplets, and with a slap, he grabbed the deformed head of the stillborn fetus, intending to crush it!
This was the maximum power Hayden could muster at the moment. He launched this all-out attack by taking advantage of the one-thousandth of a second when the stillborn god seemed somewhat surprised.
Hayden's wisdom lies in this beast-like intuition—the ability to seize a chance in a fraction of a second and go all in!
"You think you can absorb the power of a great project? Absorption takes time. I'll crush your head in a second right now and see how you absorb the power!"
The Great Project is the power that capitalists once used to kill gods. If Hayden really used this giant hand of stars to crush the head of the stillborn god, even if it was a hybrid born of a god and a demon, a fallen angel, it could only obediently perish—after all, it was not a true fallen angel.
However, at this critical moment, the stillborn infant god, though mentally challenged, made an incredibly correct reaction: it raised the [Heavenly Punishment Sword] in its hand and stabbed at Hayden's giant hand that was grabbing its head. The ancient artifact lost by the Peacock King was so powerful that it immediately pinned Hayden's starlight giant hand firmly in space, rendering it immobile for a moment.
Moreover, it quickly withdrew its energy from the giant hand of this great project.
But as Hayden said, absorption takes time. And that is the key to his next tactic.
Nevertheless, the stillborn god still channeled its power, unleashing a second, murderous Dead Sea sword beam towards Hayden. It was as large as a crescent moon and as fast as a thunderbolt.
Hayden's great engineering power was pinned in space by the [Heavenly Punishment Sword], rendering it useless for defending against attacks. However, he still has the [Sword of Words], so it's not a big problem, right?
"Go quickly, my sword!"
Hayden indeed shouted, spewing out winged words.
"Sever the source of power for this great project!"
--ah!?
As soon as he finished speaking, the "sword of words" flowed from Hayden's mouth along with his words.
It is faster and sharper than any sword or blade; it can even cleave the spirit and soul, separate thoughts and intentions, and sever even things invisible to the naked eye, such as fate.
The giant hand of stars, which had been pinned to space by the stillborn infant god, was severed by Hayden's words. His words, like a sword, pierced through the frozen space and chopped off the giant hand.
The stillborn god, who was busy using the [Heavenly Punishment Divine Sword] to pin down the giant hand, had no way to use it to block the [Sword of Words].
The next instant, the surrounding Dead Sea waves began to rustle and slowly recede like the receding tide.
Even the Dead Sea sword beam that was originally meant to fly over and kill Hayden immediately lost speed and power.
This is the power of words—the sword of words—to change reality through subjective language. Imagination, abstraction, and creation are powers comparable to divine intervention.
Even so, severing the source of power wouldn't stop the loss instantly. The Dead Sea Sword's power remained fierce and intense. Although Angela dodged at full speed, she was still slightly too slow.
With a deafening roar, Hayden felt a sharp pain originating from his soul and spirit.
The enormous sword light of the [Heavenly Punishment Divine Sword] had already blasted his astral body apart!
(Oh no, I miscalculated.)
At that moment, only one thought flashed through Hayden's mind.
(This is really going to kill me.)
222: The Ghost of Death
The stillborn child god had just "appeared" when it froze the entire material spacetime of the Dead Sea.
Although Hayden had consumed the Golden Elixir and possessed the body of an immortal, he was not one of those beings who were one with both body and spirit. He still had a physical body, so within this material time stop, he could not rely on his physical body and could only move using his soul and spirit—using his astral body.
Lacking a celestial body and relying solely on its soul and spirit, it was naturally more fragile, though this wasn't a major problem. Hayden had already observed and estimated the stillborn god's speed, behavior patterns, and power flow. As long as he had the [Sword of Words] protecting him, he estimated he could safeguard his astral body (roughly a body composed of soul and spirit) from being broken by the opponent.
The only risk lies in the instant Hayden unleashes the [Sword of Words] to sever the connection between cause and effect and power. But he also estimated that in that fraction of a second, the stillborn god's power would be in great disarray, busy devouring the giant starlight hand he had unleashed, and unlikely to have any strength left to retaliate.
According to Hayden's prior calculations, he had at most a 30% chance of being struck by the stillborn child god's [Heavenly Punishment Sword] aura within a one-thousandth of a second. With a 70% chance of winning, taking the gamble was entirely reasonable.
...However, when people are down on their luck, even eating can cause them to choke to death. A medical procedure that should fail only once in a thousand attempts can sometimes go wrong no matter what. A 70% chance of success is worthless when you're unlucky.
Hayden is just so unlucky today.
His body was now intact, but his spirit had been blasted apart by the [Heavenly Punishment Divine Sword]. Not only Hayden himself, but even Angela was momentarily stunned.
Fortunately, Hayden has undergone numerous enhancements to his life force over the years. He has refined and consumed elixirs, and even spent time in Hela's alchemical furnace. He has accumulated considerable skills and knowledge, making his life force exceptionally resilient.
Just as the goddess Hela once said, the most important thing is survival!
So even though he was hit by the [Heavenly Punishment Sword], Hayden did not die instantly—it seems he can still live for another two minutes before his soul is completely destroyed.
The stillborn infant god could also see Hayden's current state of being on the verge of death but not quite. However, just as it was about to deliver the final blow, Angela turned her head and glared at the stillborn.
She merely glared at it. No light flew from Angela's eyes. Yet, that single glance was enough to halt the stillborn fetus's movements, which were otherwise devoid of intelligence. It seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally, perhaps concluding that the dying Hayden posed no longer a threat, it retreated and left.
The warped space, piercing through the water and wind, rose to the surface of the sea, leaving Hayden and Angela at the bottom of the Dead Sea.
With his astral body destroyed, Hayden's spirit shattered and his soul scattered. Having suffered a devastating blow to two of his three elements—body, spirit, and soul—from the [Heavenly Punishment Sword], his death was inevitable.
If it weren't for his extensive prior preparation, Hayden would have been dead the moment he was hit. In his current state, he could only hold on for a minute or two at most.
(Angela... uh, probably won't work either...)
Based on past performance, Angela's aura has limited effectiveness in healing damaged minds—Alastor is a prime example. When Hayden asked her to find a way to revive the mentally unstable Alastor, Angela couldn't. She's not some omnipotent wish-granting machine that can do anything with a breath.
Hayden's spirit and soul have been shattered by the [Heavenly Punishment Sword], leaving only his physical body intact. He's doomed, without a doubt.
"Sorry, Angela, I haven't..."
Before he could even finish speaking, Hayden felt his mind begin to crumble.
"Master's injuries are indeed a bit troublesome right now, but please don't worry."
At the same time, Angela took Hayden's hand and gently placed it in her own lap. The soft touch of her body and the gentle sound of gears turning calmed Hayden down.
"You are qualified, and I am ready. Please leave it to me."
She gently stroked Hayden's hair. Gradually, Hayden felt even his tension and fear melt away under Angela's fingertips.
"Perhaps... this must be fate."
Following her guidance, Hayden slowly lost consciousness.
"O ocean, remember my words, let them be the unchanging laws of all ages..."
Before his consciousness completely faded, he seemed to hear... Angela singing a new song he had never heard before.
——————————————————————————————
Two flowers bloom, one branch each.
Meanwhile, Abigail hurriedly left the underwater battle scene and rushed to the top of the Fallen City, where she quickly found Astaroth.
Astaroth, being a fallen angel, was naturally unaffected by the effects of the matter-stopping effect. However, she was even more confused than Abigail. When she heard Hayden mention his plans to excavate the Dead Sea ruins, she suspected that the Peacock King had sent his son-in-law to dig for some strange thing on the seabed. But Astaroth was genuinely terrified of the Peacock King, so she deliberately avoided the matter.
Now things have gotten complicated. Can anyone tell her why her entire Fallen City—and even the entire Dead Sea—was suddenly sealed off by a matter-time freeze?
And why is there a stillborn demon riding a tsunami of death charging up here?!
Incidentally, Astaroth also considers the current Abigail to be Hecate, since Abigail is now undeniably Hecate—she has even changed her power, spirit, and true name to Abigail Hecate. Therefore, the more angelic she is, the more likely she is to believe that the current Abigail is Hecate.
Abigail didn't explain, to avoid wasting time. Fortunately, she possessed some of Hecate's memories and knowledge, so she didn't give herself away.
Unfortunately, before Abigail could explain the situation to Astaroth in detail, they both sensed a violent change coming from the seabed.
The stuck time-space gears began to turn again, and they all felt that the material time that had been pinned down was moving forward again.
"What happened? Has that stillborn demon been dealt with?"
Astaroth frowned and probed with his divine sense, only to be surprised to find that his ability to detect was hindered.
Abigail reacted even faster: "No. It must be that Hayden made it unable to maintain such a large-scale spacetime magic."
That being said, this wasn't entirely good news. Both fallen angels felt a palpable sense of hunger and oppression surging up from the seabed, rising rapidly.
The enemy has attacked.
As the two fallen angels flew out of the top floor of the tower, they both saw a colossal creature rising from the seabed and reaching the surface. Although the supply and spacetime blockade had been lifted, they found that their spiritual senses were suppressed, preventing them from directly seeing the seabed with their minds. They could only use their physical senses to see the skeletal monster that had climbed to the surface.
That terrifying, soul-stirring alien.
The sword of words has severed the causal link through which the stillborn child god originally drew energy. Unable to continue drawing power from the Great Project, it has been forced to break the seal on material spacetime. Even the Dead Sea tide it rode on is now rapidly receding.
That being said, even filling a swimming pool takes half a day, let alone the Dead Sea Child God with so much energy. So it didn't simply vanish into thin air. In this impending doom, it instead began to do what any starving animal would do.
Since they've lost their energy source and their "umbilical cord" has been severed, they naturally have to find their own food. This is a matter of course.
Hayden is dead. Now, only hunger and the instinct to hunt drive the stillborn fetus. So, where nearby can they find food that will immediately fill their stomachs?
Of course, it's the top of your head, the very top.
The waves of the Underworld Sea had begun to recede, and the stillborn god had lost the pure, supreme power of the Great Work, but it had other ways. It raised its head, and from its split back, four enormous wings unfolded.
The wings were entirely composed of translucent spiritual matter. Each of the four wings was formed from a colorless, frigid wind and a chilling white light. They were adorned with strange, intricate patterns and, for some reason, were covered in repulsive eyeballs. With just a few flaps, the four wings inflated and swelled, eventually growing wider than the wings of a roc, and carried the stillborn infant god gently to the surface of the sea.
This is the scene that Abigail and Astaroth see now from the top of the tower.
Such an ugly, half-spirited monster.
"You're saying this thing is a hybrid born from the combined power of fallen angels? I feel like it's more than that."
Astaroth was already terrified just by seeing the [Divine Punishment Sword] in its hand. Now, seeing this monstrous creature of spirits and corpses from afar, she felt even more fear and disgust.
Abigail also saw the changed stillborn fetus, but her insight as a demon goddess allowed her to understand more than Ishtar: "Ishtar, don't you think this shape looks familiar?"
The moment the words left its mouth, the mutated stillborn goddess noticed the gazes of the two fallen angels. It didn't even glance at them, but simply flapped its wings—the next moment, an invisible and colorless shockwave swept through space, startling them so much that they quickly ducked away.
The shockwave that grazed the top floor then struck the satellite antenna at the very top of the tower, shattering it with a deafening roar, and then grinding even the debris into dust, which vanished without a trace.
"Using ethereal waves to oscillate space?!" Abigail's eyes widened. "Where did it learn such a technique?"
When Astaroth saw her equipment destroyed and the stillborn god eagerly trying to devour her [Fallen City], she had no time to think about anything else. In fact, she was almost scared to death just by seeing the [Heavenly Punishment Sword], but the [Fallen City] was her last resort, and no matter how scared she was, she had to go for it.
Thus, the voluptuous and beautiful demon burst forth from the tower, waving her sleeves and unleashing a powerful and solid force. She wore magnificent robes and jewels, exuding a rich, sweet fragrance, yet she was in reality a first-rate warrior. In ancient Canaanite mythology, she once tore apart the scales and flesh of the Death Serpent with her bare hands. She was the ancient Mother Goddess of Life, theoretically the opposite of this Dead Sea Child.
This time, she descended gracefully, reaching out to grab the head of the stillborn god, intending to tear its massive head apart—however, as Astaroth activated the power of her land, that is, the power of her "assets," she was startled to feel…
...This stillborn child god seems to be even stronger than her!?
If you think about it carefully from a different perspective, you'll realize that the fact that this dead fetus god was able to seal off the entire material spacetime of the Dead Sea already demonstrates how powerful it is.
Astaroth could probably have done the same thing in her prime, but now she's just a bankrupt property manager. Although the Dead Sea and [Fallen City] are her last assets, it's clear she can't really freeze the spacetime of the entire Dead Sea.
For no other reason than that we don't have enough money (capital)!
In her desperation, she reached out and grabbed tightly, the power of the Earth Mother surging forth, resonating with the magnificent clothes and jewelry on Astaroth's body, like a noble queen on high, urging her to unleash even more power.
In ancient times, Astaroth (Ishtar) recognized the connection between wealth and power. Her seven magnificent garments and ornaments were actually divine artifacts symbolizing her divine authority. She was, in fact, one of the ancient goddesses of wealth!