The third round.

Shi Ming was the first to act again. He sent the Blade of Chaos flying with a magnificent kick. It let out a clear, dragon-like cry as it split the air, glowing with a glacial light as it sliced toward the Mobius Serpent’s vital point.

The judgment descended.

This time, the Mobius Serpent once again felt the favor of fate.

It rolled an 18, while Shi Ming rolled only a 5.

was far greater than 5. Gloating, the Mobius Serpent relied on the underlying logic of the Light Cone World to miraculously dodge the flying blade. It even licked an ice prism that had inexplicably appeared in the air in a mocking gesture.

But in Shi Ming’s eyes, this was all a part of the trap.

’How can you lure prey into a net without giving it a little bait?’

Only after tasting victory would it refuse to retreat. Only then, upon seeing a so-called opportunity, would it go all in, ultimately losing everything and betting away the very source of its skills. ’Some snakes think they’re the chosen ones of fate,’ he thought, ’but they never realize their opponent is far beyond their imagination. Every detail is part of a preordained trap.’

Victory and defeat were both being manipulated by an unseen hand.

When it came to cunning, these sea beasts were far too naive compared to humans!

The illusory Mobius Serpent dodged the attack, its body still tightly coiled around the great fortune. Its shimmering, serpentine eyes stared at Shi Ming. It had long since realized that this human was the leader of this great ship. As long as it could defeat him, the other creatures could be left here to slowly play its games.

For years, it had been itching for this.

It had been a long time since a human had come to play games with it.

The Chaotic Divine Country was still active. The world tilted ninety degrees.

The crew was amazed to find that even with the world turned vertical, they didn’t fall. It seemed they could even walk directly on the vertical deck. But no one made a move, all remaining perfectly still.

It was the Mobius Serpent’s turn to act. A sharp light gleamed in its eyes as it attempted to cast "Reincarnation Light Ray" again, the skill that had failed last time. Unfortunately, its luck faltered once more, and it lost to Shi Ming with a roll of 9 to 13.

The Reincarnation Light Ray failed for a second time.

...

The fourth round.

Ah Jian was eager to try.

Shi Ming stopped it. This round, Shi Ming skipped his turn, saving his action point.

The Mobius Serpent was overjoyed.

’This is a sign that the human is at his wit’s end,’ the serpent thought. ’He must have no powerful moves left. That makes sense. Even for the strongest Awakened on a King-level Wandering Ship, having two S-rank skills would make them one of the best. Besides that outsider—the long-vanished owner of the Desperate Celestial Kingdom—and that Holy Hall-level Sea Beast that’s always sleeping, who on this planet can possibly be my opponent?’

’They’re all just my playthings.’

The cooldown on its cheating ability was over.

It decided to go big, to go all in and cast "Reincarnation Light Ray" with all its might.

TICK.

The Light Cone landed.

Mobius Serpent: 17. Shi Ming: 18.

’Damn it! Cheat, reroll!’ Five Light Cones began to spin rapidly—

First judgment: 36 points!

The Mobius Serpent froze.

Second judgment: 48 points.

Cold sweat beaded on the Mobius Serpent’s skin.

Third judgment: 51 points.

The Mobius Serpent felt the stifling pressure on its vital point finally release. ’At the final moment, fate favored me after all! Let’s see you dodge this Reincarnation Light Ray, human! I’ve wagered most of my power on it!’

A dazzling light shot from its eyes, sweeping toward Shi Ming like a laser.

In that brief moment, it saw the man raise his head and use the action point he had saved. Two more Light Cones descended to begin a new judgment.

’Trying to defend?’

to 10.

Mobius Serpent: 9. Shi Ming: 10.

Before it could even process what was happening, it saw the light ray strike the human. Amidst the suddenly appearing aura of a Black Tortoise Giant Beast, the attack was completely blocked. Not only that, but half of the power was reflected, shooting straight back at the serpent.

This was the reflection effect of the Black Tortoise Shield, which didn’t require an attack judgment.

The great serpent’s head did a "backflip." A hole was blasted through its eye region, but a twenty-sided Light Cone remained floating there, having replaced its head.

’Damn it!’

’Next round, I’ll use other methods!’

But it seemed there would be no next round...

The world slowly tilted, and at the end of the third minute, at the close of the 180th second, it completed a full 180-degree inversion.

The Other Shore Flowers bloomed to their most splendid moment, as brilliant as fresh blood.

Then, they scattered, wisp by wisp.

Except for exempted objects and creatures, everything that had not yet decayed, like a Dusk Whale at the end of its life, would in the next instant step into eternal annihilation!

Fallen Sanctuary, descend!

The Mobius Serpent was terrified by this sudden, unheralded transformation, trembling before a power that clearly surpassed its own level. It was just about to use its entanglement with fate to seek help from the Ten Thousand Forms Kun when it suddenly realized it was still inside the Light Cone World. And it was its opponent’s turn to act.

Ah Jian’s "Eternal Life Law" followed immediately.

The Mobius Serpent’s body twitched and struggled. The serpentine body coiled around the great fortune began to rapidly decay, shedding flecks of light. Meanwhile, its core—the twenty-sided Light Cone—was brought under the control of the Eternal Life Law, its light extinguished. The rest of its body completely disintegrated into motes of light.

It didn’t even have 0.01 seconds to call for aid through fate.

Its body had already decayed, and its consciousness had sunk into oblivion.

Thus, it perished.

...

The inverted world righted itself. The incessantly spinning twenty-sided Light Cone fell into Shi Ming’s hand. The Other Shore Flower Sea dissipated as well. The foggy sea remained calm and unruffled, as if nothing had happened at all.

It was merely that a certain creature’s existence had been erased.

Like a dream, without a trace.

Shi Ming looked at the Light Cone, and a notification from the Eye of Destiny appeared in his vision.

[All creatures wish to be the darlings of fate.]

[But they do not know that fate cannot favor one creature forever.]

[The Mobius Serpent has no flesh and blood; it is a creature forged from light. Bathing in its blood is impossible, but the skill source it left behind can be devoured. This saves time. Consuming it will directly grant the skill "Destiny Light Cone" and elevate the abilities of your Eye of Destiny by one level.]

[The Holy Hall-level Sea Beast, the Ten Thousand Forms Kun, has been deceived by a 0.000009% probability. It will not notice the ripples in the river of time, nor has it detected the death of the Mobius Serpent.]

[The effect of "Destiny Fixation" has come full circle.]

[However, if you devour it now, your proximity to the Ten Thousand Forms Kun means there is a certain chance you will attract its attention.]

[This sea beast has mastered the skill source of the Destiny Sanctuary. Its actual ability is nothing special, but it’s exceptionally annoying.]