The moment Harpas lost his breath, his body abruptly vanished. In the next instant, a cloud of purple mist appeared nearby.
The mist rapidly expanded, dyeing the surrounding air a deep violet.
Moments later, Harpas's form reconstituted within the fog.
He gasped for air, eyes flickering with panic. His skin had turned pale, and his lips trembled faintly.
He had clearly just scraped by a brush with death.
"Futile! I am Immortal!"
Harpas shouted, trying to project strength and confidence.
His voice echoed through the air with an aura of grandeur and inviolability.
Shajin didn't react with alarm. Instead, he looked on with mild curiosity.
This so-called [Demon God of Dreams] had an interesting Authority—not only could he enslave others' minds, but he also possessed an ability to repeatedly resurrect.
Wasn't that… basically just an indestructible punching bag?
A faint, unsettling smile tugged at the corner of Shajin's lips, his eyes glinting with excitement.
Harpas felt a chill crawl down his spine as he met Shajin's gaze. Memories of Shajin's brutal rampage just moments ago made his right eyelid twitch uncontrollably, as if foretelling an ominous fate.
His expression darkened, voice turning shrill with rage.
"Human, don't you dare think I'll become your outlet for violence!" Harpas snarled hoarsely, his voice like a demon's growl from the depths of the abyss.
His body blurred like a phantom, shooting toward Shajin.
From his hand burst streaks of violet light, each one sharp as a blade, piercing through the air toward his foe.
Shajin tilted his body, effortlessly dodging the attack. Golden light flashed in his hand as a Mora coin shot forth, pinning Harpas to the stone wall in an instant.
Shajin slowly floated up to face him.
"If you've got a trump card, you'd better use it now. Otherwise… just be my punching bag."
"Heh… human… keep dreaming!!"
Harpas clenched his fists, madness burning in his eyes. There was no hesitation, only despair and fury.
Then, he did something that stunned everyone.
He plunged his right hand into his own chest.
Blood poured from the wound, soaking his robes, but Harpas showed no concern. He reached deep inside, groping for something.
Shajin folded his arms calmly, watching the scene with no surprise or concern.
It was as if he had anticipated Harpas's desperation and was watching the show unfold with cold amusement.
A crazed smile twisted Harpas's face.
"Human… in my hand now is my Authority—Nightmare."
His voice was low and chilling, as if announcing the coming of death.
"If I crush this, I will die… but the resentment and the backlash caused by the destruction of my Authority will drag all of you into it. You will all be buried with me!"
His tone carried both triumph and resolution.
"When I die, I'll pull every living creature in this land into a never-ending nightmare!"
"Human, you have two choices: let me go… or die with everyone else!"
A flicker of surprise finally showed on Shajin's face. He hadn't expected Harpas to go so far.
But then he smiled.
"You really think your threats will scare me?"
"Then go ahead and die~"
Shajin spoke calmly, as if stating an obvious fact.
"Heh, I knew you humans were all cowardly and greedy for life! Now let me go or—" Harpas scoffed, his eyes full of contempt and mockery.
But then… something felt off.
"Huh?"
Harpas blinked, unsure if he'd heard correctly. He stared at Shajin in disbelief.
"Human, what did you just say?!"
His voice was edged with fury and confusion.
Shajin's lips curled into a faint smile. Then, with a casual snap of his fingers—
Geo energy swirled and solidified into a majestic throne behind him.
Shajin sat down leisurely, crossed one leg over the other, and leaned back like a king surveying his domain.
He spread his hands, voice light but resolute.
"I said, you can go ahead and die now."
Then, he extended his right hand, palm up, and made a beckoning gesture.
"Let's see your final act."
"You… human! You think I won't?!"
Shajin yawned. "If you're gonna die, hurry up. There are two others waiting in line. It's a shame—this punching bag was quite fun~"
"You dare humiliate a god?!"
The two locked eyes.
Time slowly passed.
Shajin's expression grew increasingly impatient.
"Hey! Are you gonna crush it or not?"
"I'm growing old over here~"
Harpas's face twisted.
"Human, you really don't fear—"
Shajin waved a hand dismissively.
"Enough talk. If you're scared, just admit it."
Then he clenched his fist in the air. Imaginary energy condensed like a crashing tide, compressing Harpas from all sides.
Under the immense pressure, Harpas's body twisted grotesquely. This time, his eyes finally revealed genuine fear.
"Wait! Human! Wait!!!" Harpas cried, his voice thick with desperation.
Shajin tilted his head, a cold grin on his lips.
"Any last words?"
Harpas's features contorted from the strain. His voice trembled.
"Human… let me live… I'll be your punching bag!"
"Now you're willing?"
"Too late~"
Shajin clenched his right hand tighter. The Imaginary energy instantly crushed Harpas—shattering his Authority.
Deep purple energy surged within the Imaginary energy. Harpas's post-death resentment and the backlash from his destroyed Authority writhed within, yet no matter how they struggled, they couldn't escape.
The Demon God's most terrifying aftermath—the resentment and backlash—didn't even leak. Instead, they were devoured, disintegrated, and assimilated by the Imaginary energy.
The [Demon God of Dreams]—Harpas—was utterly destroyed beneath the pressure of the Imaginary Numbers, his body dissolving into nothingness. No trace remained, as if he had never existed.
Osial and Baqiu exchanged looks, seeing the same fear mirrored in each other's eyes. For this human, even a god's death left behind no ripple at all.
On the platform above, Xiao's gaze was complex. The nightmare that had once haunted him was now, at last, ended by that man below—who was neither god nor demon, yet surpassed both.
_
Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo
And get early access to my 40 advance chapters.