Chapter 39: You actually worship a deity, right?

"...... **"

The rustling electric hum made Cat squint his ears in discomfort.

It seems the signal over there is poor; there must be some magical shielding array or device.

Fortunately, I was prepared and placed many cautious magic arrays on No. 4 and on myself.

Sure enough, before long Cat's soul‑communication channel with Xiaohei No. 4 connected.

"Meow... meow**..."

Although the voice was a bit choppy, since it was communicating in its native language, Cat understood it without any obstacle.

He nodded thoughtfully and then replied, "I see, I understand."

"Give me a dozen minutes to prepare."

"**... meow?"

"Huh? What will you do? Figure it out yourself.

Just try hard over there, I believe you can do it!"

"Meow(*#&(@"

Doo doo doo…

Without any hesitation, Cat used his supreme authority to sever this contact.

According to the intel from No. 4, Cat's tail coiled around a large bottle of blood medicine while he waved his claws, constructing magic he might need.

It can only be said that this is a rather torturous process.

Cat truly felt he was about to start vomiting blood medicine.

No cat can endure this kind of treatment!

What finally forced Cat to stop wasn't the over‑armed, fully‑prepared gear, but the breakdown of realizing another drink would make him vomit.

"I can't even take a single sip..."

Cat thought that the breakdown from being forced to toast the leader three rounds was probably similar.

If it weren't for having too many tasks, the basic recovery of healing magic might clog the blood line, and he... wouldn't be drinking blood medicine!!!

TAT

Pain, too much pain.

After fully arming himself and giving Xiaohei, whose blue fire went tap tap tap, the necessary buffs, Cat finally entered the realm of the Ninth Layer.

What met his eyes was an endless wasteland, white and gray the dominant tones of this layer.

Cat squinted and surveyed the environment surrounded by blinding white snow and frost.

The frozen wreckage crawled on the ground in agony, its posture—roaring to the sky, reaching out both hands—was extremely ferocious.

Among them were the frozen, split Xiaohei No. 3s, eyes wide open, faces full of astonishment.

This Ninth Layer had never been stepped on by anyone.

Thanks to Xiaohei No. 4's warning, Cat added a few extra cold‑resistant and anti‑magic buffs at the doorway.

Now, buried in this Ninth Layer, Cat felt neither pain nor itch, much like strolling through a back garden.

After being forced to down a full 150 ml bottle of blood medicine, Cat finally rescued Xiaohei No. 4 from the edge of freezing.

"Meow@*#&(@*#&(!"

Listening to Xiaohei No. 4's utterly uncivilized tirade, Cat couldn't help but silently complain in his heart,

If I hadn't literally lacked the courage to down another three liters of blood medicine, who the hell would rescue you!

I'll just have you reincarnated as Xiaohei No. 4.1, okay?

Xiaohei No. 4 is the product of his experimental magic 'Parallel Consciousness', essentially another version of himself specialized in offensive magic.

Physical destruction will not kill Xiaohei No. 4; his soul will be reclaimed into his sea of consciousness, awaiting the next deployment, or a Mahjong table missing four and two.

Seeing Xiaohei No. 4 now fully exposing some of his own flaws, Cat couldn't help but feel fortunate that he initially chose the 'language barrier' option.

As long as he couldn't understand what Xiaohei No. 4 was saying, to outsiders it looked like a black speech‑impaired kitten meowing away.

One must admit, for cat‑keeping enthusiasts with special tastes, Xiaohei No. 4 would probably land a respectable job at a cat cafe.

"..."

Of course, he would never share these thoughts with Xiaohei No. 4.

Continuing to layer on his mediocre healing magic, they decided to march forward in the direction the corpses faced.

A trio of kittens left a trail of paw prints on the snow.

Desolate, lifeless.

This is the main theme of this layer.

Finally, after walking for about ten minutes, a building appeared before them.

A ruined city.

From the massive bricks collapsed nearby and some broken foundations, one could barely glimpse its once magnificent appearance.

Except for the columns that hadn't completely broken, the Cats standing at a distance could see in a glance the huge throne atop the high steps.

On the throne, frozen and faded, sat a giant.

His cyan arms were covered with black patterns, his hair, wildly growing like black seaweed, bore a gem‑inlaid crown.

Boom—

As the Cats gradually saw his full form, the ground suddenly began to tremble.

The figure on the throne lowered its head and slowly moved, shattering the solid ice on its arms and the broken walls and debris of the palace.

Its bulging golden eyes emitted a soul‑snatching light, piercing the dark clouds and endless snow.

"Visitor, you must undergo the trial."

Trial...?

Hearing that unusual wording, Cat froze in place.

They lifted their head and stared at the giant that rose from the ground before them.

However, contrary to their expectation, the so‑called 'cutscene' did not trigger; the giant seated upon the throne actually raised an eyebrow and, surprised, said to Cat,

"Oh? I didn't expect it to be you."

"I didn't think you'd be the first to arrive here."

The giant's words made Cat feel a great disparity,

"Do you know me?"

"Who dares claim they don't know the Black Demon King?"

"..."

It's over.

The moment they heard that sentence, Cat's heart gave a sudden thump.

Cat's first reaction wasn't that they were famous, but that they were doomed.

The being they didn't know was intimately familiar with them, and the teasing tone sounded like a gossip column's hot celebrity.

This information gap made them extremely uneasy.

Can they assume that, aside from themselves, almost every powerful entity with a special title knows them?

Even if they tread carefully as a cat, would they still attract many 'renowned' beings eager to loot them?

Are they required to stay on constant battle readiness?

"You, who were just born less than a month ago, still dare to challenge me!"

"Arrogant Demon King, with your current strength you dare to challenge Ascension, that's far beyond your limits!"

Ascension?

God?

Cat, who had been worrying, suddenly saw the black pupils in their yellow eyes stand up at the sound of the keywords.

"As the third general under the Frost Demon God, I shall lay divine punishment upon you, arrogant Black Demon King!"

Frost Demon God?

General under it?

Divine punishment?

God?

Fine!

So you call yourself a god‑general, is that it, you worship God?

Cat, who had begun to consider retreat and planned to keep gathering intel for a while, suddenly erupted in fury.

As the giant rose from the throne, its state instantly changed.

From a lifeless, stone‑statue‑like condition, it came to life.

【Frost General, Giant Race

Special giant race endowed with divine power by the Frost Demon King】

【Level: lv137】

【HP: 1800000/1800000】

【MP: 5000/5000】

【Constitution: 57400】

【Strength: 96550】

【Agility: 107】

【Intelligence: 82】

【Special Status: Demonized】

【All attributes increased by 10%, but movement slowed】

【Special Status: Frozen】

【Skin coated with solid ice, rendering it immune to most physical damage】

【Special Status: Frost】

【Blessing of the Titan Giant God grants it a massive magical shield】

【Acquired Skills】: …

Staring at this lavish status panel, Cat squinted, wagged their tail, then lifted their head and said to the towering giant,

"Oh, I see."

"Divine punishment? Disrespect?"

"Hehehehe, hahahahahaha!"

Mentioning that so‑called God and the missions they issue, which can only be described as torture, inflamed Cat's anger even more.

Although their mistake gave them a so‑called second life,

the malicious design makes it impossible for them to feel any 'gratitude'!

"Since you are the God's lapdog, then go die!"

"You little rogue, daring to speak such words, you will pay the price!"

Price?

If they swapped the God or another follower, they might have already been finished.

But… you're a monster!

Compared with your "demonization," he enjoys a buff of "30% to all attributes" and "90% physical and magical attack reduction"!

Moreover, before stepping onto this floor, he had made full preparations.

Trial…?

Who is testing whom, it's hard to say.

Originally, I was thinking that if it were just a simple trial, he would need to exploit some bug to maximize his own benefit.

But…

After hearing that this Giant was actually a low‑ranking subordinate of some Frost God, Cat simply gave up the thought of grinding for experience.

A god, huh?

Worshipping a god, right?

Then Cat must beat him to bits, as a sign of reverence for the god?

Thinking that way, Cat immediately launched a counterattack the instant the Giant raised his hand.

Using magic to pull, Cat hurled Xiaohei No. 4 outward, causing him to detonate all the magic inside his body, delivering a face‑to‑face nuclear blast to the so‑called Frost General.

He misdirected all the magic within his body, concentrating the array's supporting mana into a single point; after compression, it generates damage far exceeding the sum of those spells.

This is the ultimate invincible self‑detonation spell Cat created, modeled after a certain mage whose every spell ends in an explosion.

Accompanied by this sudden explosion,

With a crack and a roar, the transparent shield surrounding the Giant shattered instantly.

Don't underestimate the self‑detonation bought with three‑tier blood medicine and two sets of 15th‑tier healing magic!

While silently thinking "nice" inside, Cat didn't stop the sniping of the Frost General.

Immediately thereafter, using Xiaohei, who was spitting blue flames, as the focal point, a barrage of spells rained down upon the Giant.

Gathering Wind Kick

Heavenly Authority Shattering Jade

Ultimate Flash

Blazing Storm

…

At the same time, the forbidden incantation stored on Cat's body also activated.

Skyfall

Earth of the End

Wind of Decay

…

The biggest cause of fear was insufficient firepower.

But after encountering the so‑called BOSS and reviewing his stats, Cat felt his firepower was more than enough!

Try this fierce assault bought with blood‑spitting medicine!

Because various buff bonuses were still attached, Cat's attacks were only stronger than the skill's intended stats, never weaker.

Yet the moment the Giant finished his opening line, Cat had already completed a full assault of shield break, defense break, and lethal strike.

HP-30000

HP-57000

Critical Hit, HP-102000

…

The Frost Giant's punch, which hadn't yet been swung, hung suspended in midair; feeling the relentless magical barrage forcing him to kneel, his once haughty expression turned frantic.

"You…"

"Impossible!"

"Your level is clearly only…"

"This shouldn't…"

In the brief pause of those few sentences, Xiaohei, with his clattering flames, also joined the self‑detonation and was halted.

A violent explosion erupted, shattering the ice on the ground and lifting the surrounding falling snow.

The Giant's skull thudded and fell to the ground.

Sliding down the icy slope, it rolled all the way to Cat's front.

He stared with his wide eyes at his HP dwindling to zero, at the increasingly blurred snow and ice field before him, at the Xiaohei cat that in his sight became clear then blurred again, using his last strength, he cursed the Demon King before him,

"Destruction, Demon King, your ambition will ultimately be annihilated by the gods."

"..."

After speaking, his eyes, which had been filled with golden light, dimmed.

Immediately, his body not far away collapsed with a thunderous crash, pieces peeling off like this ruined palace and faded throne, gradually being buried by the deep snow.

"So weak, such trash talk…"

Annihilated by the gods?

Hmph, we'll see.

In this battle, Cat finally discovered the proper way for a Magic Path Ultimate Realm kitten to fight.

Indeed, the predecessors' experience was correct.

Gu Aotian being called Aotian makes sense.

Who the hell is directly confronting you!

As a mage, shouldn't they go looking for someone to 'solo duel' with a full set of buffs and stocked skills?

What a glass cannon, all it wants is da‑da‑da! Isn't that just delightful!

Now, the Cat that killed the Frost General feels immensely swollen.

Although……

He didn't receive the experience notification after killing the Frost General.

Combined with the trial mentioned in his opening speech and the massive golden‑glowing cluster that suddenly appeared before the throne, Cat thinks the reward from this trial might be some special thing.

But……

He doesn't want any extra reward; he just wants experience points!!

Base stats! Base stats!

This is what he needs most right now!

It can't be that he'll have to survive each day clutching a blood bottle, right?

Others drink beverages; he drinks blood potion, right?

Seems that to make his potion‑drinking days more pleasant, he'll have to invent blood potions in multiple flavors, huh?

md.

Ahhhhhh!

Spare the Cat! They're just a cute, helpless little kitten being stalked by a bunch of unknown ferocious demonic monsters!

Because Xiaohei No. 4 and the Xiaohei that blazes blue fire with da‑da‑da were both blown up by themselves, there is no cat or person in this wasteland who can hear him tell of his anguish, which is longer than an old woman's foot‑binding cloth.

Cat angrily leaves a few shallow marks in the snow with its paw, then, with a particularly honest body, dashes off at a trot to loot the pack.