Only one star remained.
"How could this be? It was supposed to..." The Deep One standing beside Wiseman muttered in disbelief, then turned to look at Sean. "Is it you? Do you know something? Tell me! What the hell is going on?" Without waiting for Sean's answer, it charged at him.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Right between the eyes!
After firing so many shots, Sean's accuracy was no longer that of an amateur. One shot to the head, and the Deep One fell with a thud. A second shot silenced its struggling body completely.
"You can ask, but I don't like ugly things like that lunging at me," Sean said with a smile.
That smile enraged the other Deep Ones present, as well as the Goatmen acting as bodyguards behind them. None of them expected this lone figure to strike first!
"Foolish mortal, you will—"
"Who is it?!"
The massive Goatman, seven or eight meters tall, loomed behind like a city wall. But just as its arm, wreathed in green flames, was about to come down, an inexplicable force suddenly intercepted it.
Both the Deep Ones and Wiseman stared at the towering Goatman's back.
Even弗蕾莉亚, who had been about to shout "run," noticed the change behind Sean.
Because the attack came from behind, the arm didn't land. Instead, it was entangled by an invisible tentacle extending from the void. Unlike the fleshy tentacles of the Octopus-men, this one, emerging directly from space, was composed of a dark substance—seemingly intangible, yet undeniably real.
The massive tentacle instantly enveloped the entire seven-to-eight-meter Goatman, dragging its colossal body into the void with irresistible force, vanishing without a trace, leaving no sound behind.
This...
The remaining Deep Ones and Wiseman all stepped back, their minds reeling with shock.
"What did you just do?"
Sean remained silent, offering no answer.
This wasn't his doing. Ever since the Star of Ruin had wrapped a nebula of stardust around him, it was as if a passive aura had been added—one he couldn't even see clearly.
Gaze!!
The name it should have displayed was unreadable, but the effect was obvious. Though he couldn't make it out, this passive skill seemed to protect him invisibly, pulling any threat into another plane.
"I see. You've also gained new power from the tablet," Wiseman said, stroking his now-octopus-like chin.
"No. I'm different from you. I don't need to become a monster like you."
"Monster? Hmph, what do you know? After Cogar City, I heard the call of the Father. He gave me true power and revealed the truth of this world. You mortals will never understand," Wiseman retorted.
"I really don't understand. And I don't need to."
He chambered another round in his flintlock. At the same time, Sean noticed the faint buildup of a spell from his opponent.
Disruption!
It was cast almost simultaneously with his gunshot.
His body instinctively dodged to the side, but while ballistic magic could be evaded, a spell directly targeting its victim was impossible to avoid.
Suddenly, a wave of weakness washed over him, like the fatigue of illness. His footing faltered, and he dropped to one knee. A subtle heat burned within his body.
"Sean..." someone called out.
"..."
"Get him! While he can't cast magic!" voices around him urged.
Forcing himself to look up.
But the enemy was too fast!
Facing hundreds, maybe thousands, of Deep Ones and mutated foes alone, his strength felt pitifully small. Even the most tactical approach was meaningless against such overwhelming numbers.
A crowd surged forward. But then, a flash of the Star of Ruin's massive eye crossed Sean's mind, and the indescribable celestial hum echoed in his ears. From all directions, countless tentacles emerged from the void, snatching every charging enemy in an instant.
The void tentacles filled his vision—too many!
By the time Sean looked up, all his enemies were being pulled by that immense force. Because the tentacles extended from different directions, those not instantly dragged away were torn apart on the spot.
Fluid mixed with the stench of wet, rotting seaweed drifted through the air.
"No, this can't be! Which ancient ruler have you sworn allegiance to? There's no Old One more powerful than the Father in this world, and you..." Seeing so many of his summoned comrades die before him, Wiseman retreated in terror.
Those Deep Ones, said to have lived for millennia, who had accompanied him and helped him transform into a true child of the Father—all wiped out in less than a second.
"This isn't right. No, things shouldn't be like this. From the Immortal to now, I've been searching for my true identity. Everything was clear. Why has it come to this? What did you use?"
Sean watched Wiseman's panic grow, even seeing fear and anger directed at him.
"I am the Father's true chosen one!" Wiseman's trembling voice roared.
"Your Father has nothing to do with me. I just got some annoying summoner to teach you a lesson. Others are busy too—don't bother them," Sean said.
"Annoying summoner!"
Wiseman's head snapped up.
Only then did he notice the space above Sean rippling, revealing a rust-red surface. At its center, a massive eye stared down at him.
He took a deep breath, his whole body beginning to tremble.
"Father... Great Father, I need you." Wiseman turned toward the massive altar in the city center and prayed, where a newly emerged tentacle writhed.
But even his prayer offered no true protection. Tentacles from all sides still enveloped him.
Right in front of that octopus-like appendage, Wiseman was torn into pieces.
His octopus-like head fell to the ground, still writhing, dark blue blood spilling from its mouth. He had completely become another creature.
With the last Octopus-man's disappearance, the stars in the sky faded. The massive tentacle on the altar trembled and slowly vanished, like a projection that had never existed. As the ten stars disappeared, it was gone.
And in that instant, Sean seemed to hear a howl from deep beneath the earth.
Unclear, but definitely heard.
An indescribable sound, like no material thing could make—full of reluctance, or perhaps rage.