Chapter 217: Extermination

The multiverse is dangerous.

Existence or nonexistence, continuation or cessation—perhaps it has nothing to do with your survival of the fittest, or your wins and losses, strength or weakness.

If you encounter it, you perish.

"Li En, do you know what's most dangerous about the owl?"

"Uh, its ambush in the pitch-black night—silent, invisible, and devastatingly powerful. Even if you barely survive, it's already gone, and the next strike could come at any moment."

Snake had mentioned the owl casually during idle chatter.

"That's only true for you—it's not the main reason it must be torn to shreds. Its greatest danger is actually its eyes."

"Eyes?"

"It sees too far, too far. Darkness cannot shield against its gaze—not even planets or dimensions. And some things—once you see them, they see you."

The owl's authority is over night and dreams; in darkness and phantom nights, its vision is nearly infinite.

Controlling night, it used its authority to pierce through the obscuring darkness—and naturally, it observed things that should never be seen.

Or rather, it was captured by things that should never be observed.

Li En recalled: Snake had mentioned something, casually yet deliberately, and his smile at the time had been full of malice and delight.

It seemed he had already seen through everything, known of Li En's destined encounter.

"Saw too much, knew too much—so. Snap, torn to shreds, died a miserable death!"

Li En gave a bitter smile: You knew all this, so why not explain it clearly?

If I'd known such a thing existed, I never would've stepped in—I nearly got wrecked outright!

"Exorcise Evil."

No more hesitation—pick up the sword and strike.

Li En squinted, closing his Dragon Eye completely for the first time—as Snake said, sometimes, too useful an eye isn't a good thing.

"Click-click-click!"

The bell tower echoed before him; twisted illusions once again merged into reality, as the chained, bound undead ghouls spoke of the great omniscience.

Sacred symbols and patterns floated in the air, the infinite unknown and mystery drawing all life's thirst for knowledge—as if one misstep would plunge them in.

But Li En merely looked up, staring at the darkness before and above him.

That darkness felt comforting.

Perhaps fear-inducing night and darkness are not merely the source of evil—they are also a favor and protection for life.

"Respect the unknown. Don't pay attention. Don't be curious. Most importantly, don't be like that stupid bird—peel away Its veil or seal, then stupidly stare directly at It."

The glorious holy sword reformed once more; the approaching paladin swung again and again.

Flesh flew, searing holy flames erupted continuously, burning the half-dead-spirit, half-construct monster into constant wails.

Strip away those indescribable enhancements—the monster before him was, after all, merely the undead creation of a former librarian.

"Ding-dong!"

The bell tower chimed again, its sacred tone bringing knowledge and the sages' enticements.

In Li En's ears, countless ancient sages returned to the mortal realm, recounting their insights, offering him beautiful counsel and visions of the future.

Yet the young man paid them no mind.

Snake had said: Don't look. Don't listen. Don't understand. Don't remember. Don't communicate. Don't respond. Kill the opponent—that solves everything!

Li En closed his mouth, closed his eyes, and swung his sword blindly, rapidly.

"Aaaahhh!"

The monster screamed endlessly, unable to comprehend: why was the knight, eyes sealed, still so precise?

As Li En attacked, the patterns on his black armor transmitted fluctuating optical data back.

The entire body's enveloping fluctuations were the most accurate, sensitive touch.

Touch—the clumsy, dull touch in ordinary eyes—was, in this context, the most reliable and safest.

One slash, then another—Li En regained battlefield initiative.

"The Sacred Chime" grew louder; countless sages' knowledge flooded his mind, and Li En's movements slowed again.

"Snap!"

Suddenly, the back of Li En's black armor opened; a section surged upward.

A black dragon-headed winged helm covered Li En's head; the side wing-ear guards blocked the irritating chimes.

"Battle Sword! Corroding Armor!"

The furious, lightless blade, fueled by righteous fury against evil, slashed again. Unlike the explosive radiant light of ordinary Exorcise Evil strikes, this "Wall-Breaking" blade suppressed all sound and light, focusing solely on sharpness.

"Aaaahhh!"

But from the monster's screams, the pain was doubled.

Undead without sensation only screamed like a damned imp when struck by radiant holy damage.

The Librarian still frantically rang the bell, endlessly chanting the sages' holy words, proclaiming the greatness of the omniscient being—but Li En no longer cared.

He merely swung his sword, silently, one cut after another.

Watching putrid flesh spatter, watching brains burst out, watching the bell tower, adorned with all manner of fittings, turn into shredded meat, debris, and fragments.

Yet even so, the monster did not die!

It had consumed too many lives; the countless corpses in the underground tunnels became its source of immortality and endless regeneration.

Though "Truth" is fair, the Librarian who wields it is not. Most lives have been sacrificed—but even the mere scraps, the skimmed portion, are enough to grant it near-eternal life.

"Boom!"

Li En unleashed fire and dragon flame—some effect, but still limited.

Even if part was destroyed, it regenerated again.

"This won't work…" Li En's blade remained sharp, but his stamina was beginning to dip; the constant Exorcise Evil strikes drained him severely, and the erupting flames only accelerated the consumption.

Must stop this monster's regeneration.

Perhaps… use "that."

So he took a deep breath—and choked violently.

The next moment, he took another deep breath—and the stench of decay flooded his nose.

Then he breathed again.

"This… is the smell of life decaying."

When the scent of life's decay entered his body, a certain part representing decay was gradually activated—it… awakened.

On the black dragon-headed helm, dull yellow pupils slowly opened; the dragon helm trembled with its master's breath, and vast quantities of decayed essence became the catalyst for activating this Corrupting Dragon.

"All things shall perish."

Calm words echoed throughout the basement; an invisible black dragon enveloped the humanoid knight, the dragon helm now resembling a true dragon's head.

In the next instant, the black dragon slowly drew in a deep breath.

". erish."

The black dragon exhaled—its sour, putrid breath devoured everything before it.

A gaseous conical breath swept all away; when Li En stopped, the stench was gone entirely—the strong acid and decay essence had washed away even the smell of life's corruption.

"Aaaahhh!"

It still lived—but was now battered.

The strong acid and decay essence coating its body halted regeneration; its flesh chunks kept falling off, and metal components visibly corroded and rusted.

It was about to be ended—ended by the World-Ending Black Dragon.

"Exorcise Evil."

Taking another deep breath, he raised the holy sword once more—it glowed with radiance.

This time, no armor-piercing was needed—the enemy's defenses had already been shattered; only radiant light and flame were required to bury it utterly.

"Shatter Blade… Break the Boundary."

Holy power erupted again; each strike now destroyed entire limbs—or vaporized them!

Finally, as he stood calmly, sword in hand, only a pile of flesh and fragments remained.

"Evil."

Another cast of Detect Evil received no living response—the demon that sought eternity and wisdom had already been terminated.

Yet on the flesh-and-bone "desk" where the monster once stood, a strange human-skin book glowed faintly red.

Perhaps this was what Li En had been seeking.

He walked over silently, skimmed it briefly, then put it away.

"Snap!"

As he left the basement, flames erupted behind him, granting life its final rest and dignity.

Of course, also to bury secrets and knowledge that should never appear in the mortal realm.

(End of Chapter)