Chapter 360: Arrival of the Ashiya Family

Similar scenes unfolded across the globe.

Though scattered across different lands, the hearts of all people on Earth were now united.

Roars echoed throughout every nation and every corner of the world.

The clamor was immense, as if the entire planet trembled, and even the dark clouds above seemed to shudder, shaken.

Dozens of multi-ton main battle tanks emerged from within buildings.

Soldiers from China, Russia, Japan, and other nations stood in solemn silence, their expressions grave and eyes cold, beneath the oppressive, night-like sky of swirling clouds.

Fear and dread filled their hearts, but emotions named honor, dignity, and defense crushed that fear, transforming it into blazing fury and boundless valor.

They could not fight alongside the gods.

But at least they would defend the glory of the gods and the Primordial Realm.

Command center.

Director Takahashi's eyes flashed with icy light.

"Fire!"

The air seemed to freeze.

Boom—boom—boom—boom—the deafening roar of artillery tore through the sky.

Ten thousand cannons fired as one.

Warplanes dropped cruise missiles—every one the most powerful, largest-caliber shells and warheads available.

Cluster bombs, armor-piercing warheads.

Aircraft carriers anchored at sea launched one intercontinental missile after another.

Hundreds of armed helicopters fired volleys of rockets, alongside newly developed weapons specifically designed to combat the transcendent.

Compared to the force deployed last time against the three-eyed demon Otohisa, this one was immeasurably stronger—weapons utterly unmatched, all newly developed during this period to counter transcendent beings.

And this was the combined military firepower of the entire globe!

Boom—boom—boom—boom!

Humanity's weapons of war roared with ferocity before the multitude of divine demons from the Eternal Star Realm.

The artillery fire blanketed the earth—not merely bombardment, but a barrage of chemical agents, cutting-edge technology, and weapons with extreme penetration power.

After an hour of relentless bombing, Shishan and all nearby towns were flattened, and thick smoke rose from the ruins of Shishan.

Finally, a nuclear warhead, powerful enough to obliterate Shishan and the surrounding towns, was dropped.

BOOM!!

Violent detonations filled the sky; blinding flames consumed every sight.

This bombardment lasted half an hour.

All ammunition and weapons were expended.

Within a fifty-kilometer radius, the land was unrecognizable, utterly devastated.

Yet the moment the smoke and fire cleared.

Countless people across the globe sighed in resignation—of course, they still couldn't defeat them.

The land where Shishan stood lay in ruins—but that was all…

On top of Shishan, divine and demonic auras enveloped the figures of the Eternal Star Realm's gods and demons, who stood unharmed.

It wasn't that the world's combined military power was weak—it was that they were too powerful.

Had it been the three-eyed demon Sankai from before, he would have been dead under such firepower.

Remember, Sankai was a Life Eighth Layer being—yet even he couldn't withstand today's global weaponry, proving human ingenuity: mortals defeating a Life Eighth Layer being was a miracle in any other world.

"Is this your prideful strength?"

One divine demon brushed dust from his shoulder, his gaze brimming with contempt.

"Though the power is insufficient to harm Immortals and Gods, I must admit—you humans have astonished me. Mortal bodies, capable of crafting weapons that threaten realms just below Immortal and Divine status."

Another divine demon spoke.

In truth, the other divine demons were also astonished.

These mortals, whom they saw as ants, had used strange, peculiar devices to inflict damage upon beings below the Immortal and Divine tier—truly miraculous. The key was, these devices weren't even devices by their standards.

Because these "devices" emitted not a single ripple of Qi—they were likely nothing more than ordinary swords and spears, like those made by mortals in the Eternal Star Realm.

Yet the ordinary weapons crafted by mortals in this world possessed extraordinary power.

If properly developed and combined with Qi, perhaps mortals could even kill Immortals and Gods.

Thinking of this, they grew even greedier.

Not only would they acquire talent, but also these strange weapons, and this vast, pristine land—this was the richest harvest since their invasion, without comparison.

"We'll give you one last chance: submit or die."

The divine demon with demonic horns spoke, waving his hand casually, his demonic aura surging violently.

A series of thunderous explosions erupted; instantly, seven or eight unmanned warplanes froze in midair, then plummeted from the sky.

Too bad.

Faced with yet another threat and bribe, Director Takahashi and his team still refused.

Even clay figures have three parts of fire—how much more so divine demons?

Repeated rejections enraged not only the other divine demons, but even this Immortal Demon—he felt defiled, and the thought of being laughed at across the cosmos for failing to subdue a group of mortals burned within him.

"Refuse, and die!"

One of the divine demons, enraged, appeared instantly above the position of Director Takahashi and his team, fifty kilometers away.

No words were spoken.

He brought his palm down, intending to obliterate the entire region—to drench the world in the blood of Takahashi and his men, proving that divine demons must not be defied.

Boundless divine light erupted, carrying a terrifying, despair-inducing might, and descended together to shroud the Four Nations of Japan.

At that moment, the eyes of the world nearly split with horror.

Suddenly.

Time itself seemed to freeze in that instant.

Within the eyes of Director Takahashi and the others—within the eyes of billions across the globe—a figure appeared.

He walked with unhurried steps, as if there were no gods or demons perishing here, no crisis—only the ease of strolling down a country lane.

But looking again—

It seemed instead like an ancient fiend advancing, treading over piled bones, walking the supreme demonic path—nothing could obstruct him, his baleful might pressing down upon the eight directions of the world.

It all happened too fast.

People had no idea how he had appeared.

They only saw him appear, extend a single finger so lightly, and slowly tap it between the brows of the living being that had raised heaven-shaking divine might and blazed with blinding sun-like radiance!

He was so powerful, so overwhelmingly domineering.

Kamikawa Mitsu!

Even without seeing his face, just that back was enough for people to recognize him at once.

Because the impression was too deep—back then, Kamikawa Mitsu had entered the Nether Eclipse Realm alone, one man blocking the great connecting gate from the Void Demon Realm to the Nether Eclipse Realm; that back, not appearing tall, yet taller than tall in the hearts of countless people. Impossible to forget.

At this moment, people nearly suffocated.

Not because of how incredible it was that Kamikawa Mitsu shattered the living being's palm, but because Kamikawa Mitsu had appeared—he had saved the Void Demon Realm, and this time he had saved the Initial Realm.

At this moment, people were grateful and excited!

"Sorry I'm late."

Kamikawa Mitsu's voice rang out; his finger lifted away from that god-demon being, whose body—starting from between the brows—turned to ash inch by inch, flesh and divine soul alike reduced entirely to ash.

And at this moment too—

One figure after another descended, standing behind Kamikawa Mitsu.

They looked different—men and women among them—each wearing the same black onmyoji garments, emanating powerful auras; on each of their sleeves were embroidered the patterns of the Twenty-Eight Mansions, each representing one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions.

Seven figures in all.

……