Extraordinary Pedigree.

Chapter 665: Flower of Blood and Bone: Finale I
After the Sword of the Hanging Head successfully defeated the Chaos Demon, the huge space-based weapon began to rapidly disintegrate.

First, the surface of the giant sword began to peel off gradually, and wisps of golden light emanated from the sword, and the invisible force began to withdraw from the entity.

The golden spots of light were as bright as stars, flickering and spinning in the void, gradually turning into tiny particles of light, floating around.

These spots of light were like golden snowflakes, floating down lightly, gradually blending into the depths of the void and disappearing without a trace.

As these light spots dissipated, the huge sword shadow gradually became transparent, and finally disappeared completely into the air, as if it had never existed.

wow~
At the same time, the [Key to the End] in Xia Xiu's left hand also began to change.

Azure data flames appeared on the sword in layers, and the data blocks flashed with a cold light, blurring the boundary between reality and void.

As the flames burned, the entire [Key of the End] gradually became transparent, as if it was completely swallowed up by these data flames.

Soon, the sword disappeared from his hand, leaving only the flames transformed from layers of data blocks, which flickered slightly in the void and then disappeared without a trace.

Ding-dong-

Ding-dong-

Ding-dong-

Three halos as white as jade trembled gently, making crisp tinkling sounds, like an ancient carillon playing in the air.

Along with the sound of the bell, there were bursts of subtle hissing sounds, like the heat dissipation of mechanical equipment after running at high load, foreshadowing the rapid decline of his strength.

At the same time, every strand of hair on his head that was sparkling with white holy light began to gradually lose its luster, and the originally bright light gradually dimmed.

As the light faded, traces of gold began to slowly spread from the roots of his hair, like the first ray of sunlight shining through the clouds, dyeing his hair an ancient and solemn gold.

This change seemed like a reversal of time, pulling him back to earth little by little from the sacred glory of an apostle on earth.

The [Crown of Thorns] on the head that once symbolized purity and holiness began to become illusory at this moment, like an illusion that had lost its support, turning into wisps of white smoke and quietly dissipating in the air.

As the unique mark disappeared, the thirty-six light particle wings behind him began to gradually disintegrate.

These wings gradually decomposed into countless tiny points of light, which fell like drizzle and disappeared into the air.

[Metatron] floated out from Xia Xiu's body, and his clothes changed accordingly.

The sacred robe that originally symbolized pure white is gradually turning into ordinary clothing in the mortal world.

Xia Xiu's eyes swept across the battlefield. From the incomplete version of [Anubis], to the fight with the Chaos Chosen One, to the final Chaos Demon, he had defeated three crown-like beings in succession - this did not include the previous round-robin battles with several powerful enemies and several [Rulers] who had died.

Although his breathing was still steady at this moment, his body had already been burdened with unimaginable amounts of battle energy.

This was also one of the rare times he maintained apostle mode and engaged in high-intensity combat.

but……

Can't stop yet.

"There is another guy who escaped, and they dragged me to this level. They must be planning something."

Xia Xiu's golden eyes looked toward the sky above the boundless hell. The broken mirror-like crack in the void was still slowly expanding. Beyond the crack was a vast northern landscape. The snow-capped mountains and silent forests formed a tranquil picture.

"At present, I am the most influential person in the battlefield of the Edisi Federation, and the enemy dragged me here to prevent me from causing damage to them. All signs show that the people of the Ancestral Temple and the consortium are after the man who calls himself Ion, the person I really want to defeat."

His gaze passed the broken mirror and looked further away.

In the cold northern scenery, you can still faintly hear the roar of the train.

Xia Xiu raised his right hand, and on the back of his right hand, the [Seal of Ion] was emitting a fiery breath.

"The fourth Archon [Elaios] who rules over the 'Inner Temple', the secular leader of the Sarkic cult who calls himself the Sorcerer King Ion..."

Xia Xiu whispered secretly in his heart. He knew that the real enemy was the leader of the Abyssinian Awakening—Corinius P. Bodfe II.

Moreover, his collision with the awakening of the inner hall was very coincidental, even compact.

This coincidence and compactness is closely related to the Four Chaos Lords. He can vaguely sense that they are waiting for him.

In other words, they are waiting for their collision with the so-called 'Ion'.

When the collision is over, they will find the winner.

Whether it's me or that 'Ion', they will only find the winner.

“If we meet the other party next time, we can only ask the old president for an advance on the reward for supporting it, or use Tongtiandai again.

Moreover, Eden informed me before that the Holy Machine of Gospel was about to be completed, and the Alchemy Department and the Engineering Department also informed me to prepare for the first airborne test; I think if the first airborne test is a direct actual combat test, those engineers who work overclocking every day should not curse... "

Xia Xiu pondered for a moment, then took a step forward and stepped on the void.

With every step he took, a bubble-like [∞] symbol appeared in the void. These [Mobius strips] extended like stairs under his feet, paving a path to the sky for him.

In his right hand, he tightly grasped the "Lever of Heaven" which had transformed into a cane. With steady and calm steps, like a god ascending to heaven, he slowly walked towards the broken mirror at the top of the void.

As he rose, the bottomless hell gradually disappeared beneath his feet, replaced by a snowy world.

After he walked out, the broken mirror space began to heal slowly, as if this hell had never existed. However, its remaining shadow still lingered in the air, and the endless killing and destruction just now still echoed in his ears.

Standing on the snow-covered ground, the blond young man looked into the distance.

This is a silent snowy country. Thick snow covers the entire ground, and the sky and the earth are pure white.

At the end of this white snow, a snow train gradually appeared.

It was no longer the strange train that was infinitely stretched and moving in the void, but had returned to its normal train form. The steel carriages of the train made low whimpering sounds in the cold wind. It had experienced endless hardships and sufferings.

The train slowly stopped.

Xia Xiu's eyes swept across the train and finally stopped on a figure beside the train.

It was a woman, the enemy who had escaped from him on the battlefield before.

She stood beside the train, alone, as if waiting for something.

This woman possessed typical Olitin Empire appearance, with a tall figure, stern facial features, and skin that looked even paler against the backdrop of ice and snow.

Her golden hair fluttered gently in the cold wind.

"Now it's finally my turn. According to the time, it's just right. Even if it's only one hour, it's enough."

As the last person to die, Caterina Rossi stood quietly beside the Snowpiercer, waiting for the arrival of the Fourth Sword Bearer from Heaven.

The snow fell silently, covering the ground beneath their feet, as if laying the final curtain for the upcoming confrontation.

A chill filled the air and the whole world was holding its breath for this moment.

Xia Xiu stood in the snow. When he saw the woman, a hint of vigilance flashed in his eyes, and there was a hint of coldness between his brows.

Three powerful incarnations instantly appeared behind him - [Vassago], [Sisyphus] and [Metatron].

These three incarnations stood behind him like guardian spirits.

There was no dialogue, no hesitation.

The fourth sword-wielder in Heaven gave the order to kill the opponent without hesitation.

The moment the order was given, Vashak took action first.

He slowly extended his index finger, and the whole world seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force at this moment.

"Buzz——"

Time froze, everything around was still, and turned into a gray and white picture. The wind and snow stagnated in the air, and the coldness in the air also stopped flowing at this moment. The whole world seemed to be isolated in the still time.

At the same time, [Sisyphus] was already stepping on the [Mobius Strip] and approaching the target in an instant.

In the gray world, he raised his fists high. The surrounding air created ripples around his fists, and the space itself was shaking.

The fist, with destructive force, smashed into the target's body like thunder.

[Metatron] holds two flaming swords, his swords are burning with blazing flames, the light of the flames is extremely dazzling in the gray and white world of time stop.

He rushed towards the enemy like a burning comet with the roar of a sonic boom.

The two flaming swords cut through the gray-white space and instantly slashed towards the target's head. The trajectories of the two swords were like two burning meteors, leaving gorgeous flaming trails in the still time.

Xia Xiu had never been so decisive and ruthless, almost the moment he saw the other party.

Whether it is the violent fists of [Sisyphus] or the flaming swords of [Metatron], they are all meant to directly end the opponent's life in this world of pause.

However, a strange feeling suddenly came over Xia Xiu.

boom--

click-

At the moment when Sisyphus's fists turned the woman's body into a bloody mist and Metatron's swords chopped off the opponent's head, an inexplicable sense of uneasiness arose in the blond young man's heart.

In the gray world, the human head froze in the air, motionless at the moment of falling, and time seemed to be torn into countless pieces.

Xia Xiu stared at the head that had not yet hit the ground, and found that the corners of the other party's mouth were slightly raised, revealing a creepy smile.

The smile was fanatical, as if foreshadowing some unknown horror that was about to come.

Xia Xiu stood at the center of the world, and the gray-white world that had stopped in time made everything stand still.

At this moment, he let go of his spirituality and tried to sense the changes around him, but he did not notice anything that made him feel uneasy.

Even so, he still felt a strange threat deep down in his heart, and his thoughts raced through his mind like lightning.

"Is this another root abnormality related to sacrifice?" Xia Xiu pondered in his mind.

Thinking about the possibilities he faced.

He had come into contact with this abnormal power in the last battle, and the terrifying power released at the cost of sacrifice left a deep impression on him.

"What could it be this time? Or is it some kind of remaining power from a living god?"

He quickly denied this possibility. If such a thing really existed, the other party should have used it without hesitation instead of hiding it.

"The other party's companions were determined to get this woman out even at the cost of their lives. This means that there must be something in her that is specifically targeting me."

Xia Xiu's eyes became sharper. He realized that this threat was different from the previous ones. "This kind of targeting should not be physical, otherwise they would not hide it. Then the only possibility of this kind of targeting is sealing."

In a world where time has stopped, he expanded his spirituality to the limit, scanning everything around him.

In the sky, the shadow of Metatron was suspended behind him, and the sacred light illuminated the surrounding space. It was also observing the surroundings in detail. Although the world of time stop brought a moment of peace, this silence made Xia Xiu feel more uneasy.

"She wanted to hold me back. She should have known that she would die if she faced me. But she still came here to complete her goal...or mission. This means that she has something that does not require direct confrontation—a sealing artifact or ritual."

Xia Xiu frowned slightly, realizing that he might be at the center of a huge trap.

"Now because of the time stop, that thing hasn't been triggered yet...but what exactly is it?"

Drop drop-

The world where time has stopped is passing by every second, but Xia Xiu has not found anything abnormal yet.

"Buzz——"

A sound formed by the alternation of the roar of death and the ticking of a clock rang out.

The grayness of the world began to recede, and time began to flow again.

Then, as time recovered, the enemy's body suddenly shook violently, as if torn apart by an invisible force, and exploded completely.

Blood mist filled the air, and then the head that had been chopped off long ago finally broke away from its static state and slowly fell to the ground with a creepy smile.

thump—

The moment the head fell, the flow of time returned to normal. The head made a dull "bang" sound, rolled on the snow, and finally stopped moving.

The pungent smell of blood still lingered in the air.

However, when he raised his eyes, the scene around him began to change strangely.

At first there was only a slight tremor, but soon the entire space seemed to be pulled by an invisible force and began to twist violently.

He felt the ground beneath his feet tremble slightly, and the distant horizon was like a stretched rubber band, gradually retreating backwards. All the scenery in his vision became blurred and unreal.

The snow, the trees, the mountains, they were torn and stretched in an indescribable way, as if the world itself was being forced to go backwards, returning to some more primitive, more chaotic state.

The cold feeling in the air suddenly disappeared, replaced by a suffocating heaviness, as if entering a completely sealed space.

Xia Xiu blinked, and the world seemed to be thrown into another time and space at that moment. When he opened his eyes again, the surroundings had become completely different.

He stood in a dim maze, surrounded by towering stone walls. The surface of the walls was covered with carvings that seemed to record ancient and obscure runes.

These runes flickered slightly in the dim light, as if some hidden power was spying on him in secret.

The passage between the walls is narrow and deep, and the floor is paved with irregular stone bricks.

There was no sky above the maze, instead there was endless darkness. The entire maze was covered by a black dome.

The air was filled with an unsettling smell of decay and dampness.

"Sure enough."

Xia Xiu was not surprised by this change, he just felt a little headache. He stretched out his left hand and rubbed his eyebrows.

"A root abnormality that can temporarily seal me. The opponent's real tactical purpose has always been this, to trade quantity for time."

The fourth sword-wielding man in the Kingdom of Heaven looked around and continued to think, "The other party is determined to keep this thing for me to use at the end. There are two possibilities:
First, they need to consume my state on a large scale to meet a sealing prerequisite of the anomaly, that is, the state of the sealed person determines the triggering criteria of this seal.

Second, this seal requires a lot of observation or data collection. The stronger the enemy, the more observation text and quantity are needed. "

While thinking about this, Xia Xiu began to explore the root cause of the abnormality that sealed him in front of him.

********
[Hilmi's real-time report——]

【11:40:27 AM.】

[Anubis: Return to Hades——]

【11:42:33 AM.】

【Chaos is coming——】

【11:45:44 AM.】

[High source reaction detected——]

【12:11:44 PM.】

[Detected high frequency of chaos bursts——]

[Detected the Chaos God's Chosen's distorted stance fluctuations——]

[Detected the Chaos Demon's distorted stance fluctuations——]

【12:12:54 PM.】

[Chaos stance fluctuations drop significantly——]

【12:23:56 PM.】

[Carl Castile (Team Rocket): Killed! ]

[Victor Blackwood (Team Rocket): Killed! ]

【12:23:59 PM.】

[Richard Wilson (Social Status Difference): Killed in Action! ]

【12:24:00 PM.】

[Agnes Holden (Tractor): Killed in Action! ]

【12:24:01 PM.】

[Eleanor Blackwood (Marriage Arbitrator): Killed in action! ]

【12:24:02 PM.】

[Harold Baker (Food·Existent): Killed in Action! ]

【12:25:07 PM.】

[Ernest Hayes: High-level chaos pollution has been detected (the pollution comes from the Changing Sky)——]

【01:00:07 PM.】

[Ernest Hayes: Killed in action!]

【01:02:20 PM.】

[Detected Chaos Demon Corrosion Fluctuation——]

[The world's great crisis early warning device is activated——]

【01:32:20 PM.】

[The warning device for the present world's great crisis is shut down——]

【01:34:03 PM.】

[Caterina Rossi (Travel·Traveler): Killed in Action! ]

[All personnel involved in this hunting operation of the sword-wielding man have been killed!!!]

[The body is too badly damaged, the resurrection mechanism cannot be activated!!!]

[Hunting the sword-wielder failed! ]

[Related analyzable intelligence and contaminated intelligence are being blocked——]

[Enter Plan B————]

[Final procedure: Seal the sword holder! ]

[Root Dispatch 11: [The Mystery Box of Daedalus, the Labyrinth of Knossos]
Description: The Labyrinth of Knossos is a highly anomalous labyrinth structure, which is said to be the place where the Minotaur (the ancestor of the Minotaur/living god?) was imprisoned. The labyrinth was originally discovered in an underground ruin on the island of Crete and was successfully obtained by the consortium.

Unusual Characteristics:
Dynamic Structure: The internal structure of the maze is constantly changing, and the passages, walls, and rooms of the maze will reorganize themselves outside the sight of the entrants. This reorganization is non-Euclidean in nature, making the internal space impossible to map or navigate by conventional means. Even experienced personnel will find it extremely difficult to find the exit once they enter the maze, and may even be trapped and unable to return.

Psychological effects: People who enter the maze will gradually be affected by the maze, showing symptoms such as anxiety, fear, and hallucinations. The maze seems to be able to detect the inner fear of the entrants and materialize it, projecting it into every corner of the maze. These hallucinations usually lead the entrants into a deeper maze until they lose themselves in the maze.

Time Distortion: The flow of time inside the maze is inconsistent with the outside world. The time perceived by the person entering the maze may be very different from the time in the outside world. For example, there are reports that people who enter the maze feel that they have spent several days in the maze, while the outside world has only experienced a few minutes. Conversely, several hours of maze time may be perceived as weeks or even years inside the maze.

Seal Properties: Once a person's mind is completely corrupted in the maze, they will be sealed inside the maze forever, unable to escape by any means. Certain parts of the maze may become inaccessible due to this seal, or only appear under certain conditions.

Labyrinth Core: Researchers speculate that the core of the labyrinth hides some powerful entity or energy source. According to the description of mythology, this core may be related to the legend of the Minotaur.

Triggering conditions:

1. Using the maze requires extremely high EVE particles and precise control capabilities, and it is necessary to obtain the recognition of a specific insect arrow representing [Daedalus] (the current known recognition method is to allow an insect arrow to enter the body once to achieve immortality). For this reason, currently only a very small number of powerful thaumaturges in the consortium can master it.

2. The holder needs to continuously observe everything about the sealed person. The more he knows, the longer the seal will last.

3. The target must stay in front of the maze seal for one second; this is the most basic condition for the maze to take effect. In order for the seal to succeed, the user must ensure that the target stays in the maze area for at least one second.

4. The "state" of the target must be such that the maze can be opened; this is the key condition for activating the seal of the maze. The opening of this "state" is usually interpreted as a mental slackness or flaw.

5. Once activated, it cannot be removed: Once the maze is activated and sealed successfully, no matter the sealer or the sealed person, the seal cannot be removed. At this time, the maze will completely lock the target in a space where it cannot escape.

6. Designated trigger: The trigger range of the maze is extremely wide, and it is basically difficult for people who have not seen it to detect it, so you can forcibly designate one person and preset the sealing time (to launch the forced designation, you need to burn the life of the holder. It is currently known that the holder has only hours to survive after launching the command. If the sealed person kills the holder, the double sealing effect will be triggered.)
Escape conditions:

1. Destroy the labyrinth: In theory, if the physical structure or body of the labyrinth can be destroyed, it may lead to the release of the seal. However, due to the powerful force of the labyrinth, it is extremely difficult to destroy itself.

2. Use specific magic or spells: This is the main focus of the consortium's current research.

3. Complete the exploration of the maze: The probability of this is extremely inefficient.

4. Kill the Minotaur: In the endless maze, only the direction of the Minotaur can be captured by a powerful high-level thaumaturge. As long as the Minotaur can be killed, one can be freed from the endless confusion. Therefore, for those who are in trouble, the Minotaur must die! (The longer the observation time in trigger condition 2, the higher the probability of the Minotaur hiding.)]

【01:34:03 PM.】

【Maze triggered! 】

【01:34:05 PM.】

[The fourth sword holder in the Kingdom of Heaven, successfully sealed——]

[Countdown to the [Solar Boat] night cruise border: 10 hours, 25 minutes and 56 seconds.]