Under the effects of the "Death Messenger"'s "Forbidden Curse," Aiven stood alone in mid-air like a criminal on trial.

Pointed at by a thousand fingers, his execution came to an end without any disease.

However.

After appearing, the massive shadow of the "Black-robed Judge" did nothing except raise the gavel, symbolizing "fairness and justice," without incident.

Meanwhile, the "Death Messenger" himself, who couldn't care less about haggling with the "God of Deceit," inflated rapidly like a balloon into a massive figure twenty meters tall.

His skin turned black-red, shrouded in a turbulent mist, covered in deep cracks and scars.

On his head was a crown made of sharp, wire-like fantasy, his arms wrapped in black chains, holding a long-handled warhammer adorned with ghostly heads.

A pure black "Wailing Evil Eye" opened within his eye sockets, and blood-red cracks spread across his cheeks, forming two pairs of eye-like deep lines beneath his regular eyes.

Through the cracks, one could directly see into his body, a hell composed of countless human face-formed spirits.

His sinister appearance would suck an ordinary person's soul right into him with just a glance, transforming them into one of the many faces within his form.

Since advancing to Tier 4, the "Crowned Wizard" had completed a non-human transformation, though he had yet to achieve a true "Mythical Form," gaining traits from the "Mysterious Source" to some extent.

Aiven and the Kingfisher were no exception.

The essence of the "Curse School" is the source of all curse power: "Black Orlov."

Rumbling...

The thunderous "Forbidden Curse: King's Declaration" echoed across the entire sky.

Aiven naturally wasn't about to surrender.

It was unexpected that the bankers could be so sly, leaving an informant among the guard to monitor, making this py transaction impossible.

"Forbidden Curse" is a way for a Crowned Wizard to resonate with the world, with various forms of expressions, like Aiven, already capable of initiating it with a single thunderous sound.

The core essence of curse words, besides being known by the wizard alone, allows others only to speculate based on external manifestation, still akin to glimpsing a leopard through the cracks.

Then, everything within a hundred-kilometer diameter, including magnetic fields, magic elements, earth, sky, sea, plants, animals... all became subject to Aiven's control.

In this realm where everything obeyed him, imitating any power of the Elemental School was effortless, without fear of revealing identity.

Hoo—!

The human form dispersed, and an elemental giant surged with the wind, instantly becoming as enormous as the "Death Messenger" opposite him.

Yet their visual styles were poles apart.

Elementalized Aiven was filled with lightning, apart from a hazy outline, appearing like a giant entirely composed of light, topped by a dazzling crown akin to bright corona light.

He wielded a colossal wolf fang club glowing with endless azure-white spiritual light of storms and lightning.

"Form: Light Giant"

Other than his weapon appearing fierce, it was clear who stood on the side of justice and who did not in this battle.

After transformation, Aiven shed his previous slick demeanor wanting to ally with the Treasure Vault Guardian for fraudulent accounting, morphing into an Ancient Divine King ruling over the sky and thunder.

The storm roared, thunder shrieked, and they all proclaimed:

"I am the Almighty God ruling all phenomena in the skies! All that exists in the heavens belongs to me; all governing the stars belongs to me; with my omnipotence, I shall incinerate your falsehood and tear the thunder of the stars!"

Woo woo woo...

Though giants in size, neither seemed to possess tangible light or shadow, flashing away instantly, followed by retina-piercing brilliance and earth-shattering noise.

Boom——!!!

The overwhelming shockwave immediately cleared away the swamp that had accumulated unknown years below, revealing a dirty, ugly rock bed.

"You're unlike any 'Crowned Wizard' I know; who are you?!"

"Didn't I say? Zorro! The Heroic Thief Zorro! Maybe we can discuss business when no one's around? How about a seventy-thirty split?"

"..."

Even in battle, Aiven put effort into sowing discord between the "Crowned Wizard" and "Eye of Wealth."

Though part of forces under the Evil God, if they could truly cooperate seamlessly, it would indeed be a rare marvel.

This wasn't Aiven's first encounter with the "Death Messenger."

In the "Battle of Dierben Castle," both were Tier 3 High-Rank Wizards, but within a few short years, both ascended to "Crowned Wizard."

However, the experience remained continuous.

To unleash the strongest effect of the "Curse Technique," a highly targeted medium is necessary.

A variety of tangible or intangible objects can serve as mediums, like the form, hair, nails, saliva, blood, skin flakes, or personal items of the recipient.

Now impersonating an Air Element Wizard, Aiven naturally wouldn't choose to confront head-on with the entire biosphere representing "Native Species: Mythical Form" as he did last time.

But even if not displaying the form of "Native Species," it's certainly not possible for the "Death Messenger" to enact a curse on a "Crowned Wizard" stronger than himself by merely capturing the shape.

Rumbling...

In the sky, thunder roared incessantly; the Storm Wolf Fang Club and the long-handled Warhammer seemed like they would punch a hole right through the sky.

The commotion from both sides was evidently far more grand than when Aiven faced off against the Fourth Demon God Samikina back in Phaletis.

At the Extraordinary level, the higher the tier, the more it's about returning to simplicity.

Though it seemed like they were striking each other with the force of mortals' fists, it was actually a sustained clash of roads and logic between them.

Within this realm.

Aiven constantly maintained the status of [Desperate Thunder Swordsmanship: Thunderous Breath], each strike of his Wolf Fang Club seemed like it could sever the world, effectively demolishing large sections of the "Death Messenger's" body.

His swordsmanship level had already reached the state of [Perfection], having grasped a formidable power named [Sword Qi Ripple], which clearly kept him dominantly positioned in this intense combat.

Furthermore, as long as staying within the preconditions of the [Forbidden Curse].

After understanding the principles, drawing heavy hydrogen directly from nature and crafting [Plasma Cannon] by hand weren't difficult tasks; it was only unnecessary to reveal this capability.

Despite this, Aiven always reserved half of his strength to guard against the "God of Deceit" who kept wandering outside the battle zone.

In other words, since the fight had started, he wanted to maximize benefits, to obtain the main capabilities and strength limits of these two high-level combatants while ensuring his own safety.

Soon, Pyrmont's attack had arrived.

Since the divine name is "God of Deceit," "Secret Technique Master," His Majesty Pyrmont, one of the [Supreme Four Pillars], certainly isn't the type adept at frontal assaults.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...

The battlefield seemed to transform into a colossal puppet theater; numerous invisible threads descended from the sky, sticking onto Aiven's body as if weightless.

His body immediately felt heavy.

[Divine Skill: Puppetry]

At the same time.

Amid the ongoing battle from both sides, beneath the gavel born of [Forbidden Curse], a shadow gradually grew solid; it was... Aiven's shadow.

"Gahaha... Heeheehee... Hahaha..."

Though "Death Messenger" appeared disheveled, weird laughter of millions began to resonate within his body.

Evidently, this was a finishing technique with rigorous preconditions but tremendous power.

Effect: The harsher the damage to the "Death Messenger," the heavier the "sin," leading to more elements being absorbed by the [Forbidden Curse], fulfilling the most crucial condition: "medium."

Given the name: "Apoptosis Curse: Death Sentence of the Supreme Court," it clearly means that upon trial in this court, the verdict is one and the same—Death!

Though the "Death Messenger" isn't yet a [Divine Creature], during the collapse of the Hilus Empire, he directly broke through Tier 4, almost completing the great achievement of [Truth Embodiment].

With the help of the [Legendary Battleship: Sea Sovereignty] and [Golden Olive Triple Crown], he even coalesced a semi-finished [Mysterious Source: Black Orlov].

He absolutely cannot be seen merely as an ordinary Crowned Wizard.

If another "Crowned Wizard" were to come here, they might really be executed by their combined forces.

"Well, he's certainly quite the Demon God."

Feeling the restrictive threads within his body, Aiven somewhat felt grateful to Pyrmont.

Just because this Demon God deeply understood the essence of doing only as much work as is deserved by one's meal, unwilling to expend even an ounce of extra strength.

The "Death Messenger" offered the price for dealing with a "Crowned Wizard" within his authority, but Aiven... was not merely a "Crowned Wizard"!

Whew——!

Suddenly, centering on Aiven, the entire sky over hundreds of kilometers turned pitch-black; the solar energy had been completely absorbed by him.

Even in the nearby "Wizard Tower," the energy-rich [Magnetic Ore] dimmed entirely within a few short breaths.

It was Aiven fully activating the [Magic-like Technique: Fruit of Life], practically a mythical version of the Star Absorption Technique.

The center of the entire world became Aiven, resembling a small sun.

Behind him, an illusory giant dragon's mouth opened wide.

Immediately.

The blinding "Light Fang" swept across the nocturnal sky, bearing terrifying positive energy, like hundreds of thousands of missiles trailing perfect arcs, fiercely striking "Death Messenger," Pyrmont, and... the "Chief Justice."

[Ability: Thunder Punishment Light Fang]

"Damn it!"

Cursing under their breath, the two individuals were engulfed by great columns of explosive fire.

Boom! Boom! Boom!...

Long afterward, when the dust finally settled.

Above the "Withered Wood Swamp," a piercing, anguished scream suddenly echoed:

"This damned thief! Robber! It's all gone, everything is gone—!"