Jared felt a wave of nausea. The thing was hideous, far uglier than his fire unicorn, ugly enough that even the Celestial Devourer looked handsome by comparison.
Roar! The Ravenousor Wraith dived. Hundreds of eyes fired sickly green beams straight at the fire unicorn. The unicorn leaped Skyward, wreathing itself in searing flame, yet the moment those beams pierced the blaze, its forelegs sizzled black with corrosion.
“Jared, that monster eats away at spirits!” Flaxseed yelled from behind the vault’s stone door, clutching the magical item had just filched. “Your unicorn’s still too small, it’s no match!”
Jared’s heart sank. He swung the Dragonslayer Sword at the Ravenousor Wraith, but the golden sword energy vanished the instant it touched the black mist.
Ghostmask’s laughter drifted out of the gloom. “Pointless! A ravenousour devours everything. You and your pet are both going to die!”
The fire unicorn screamed in pain, its flames dimmed visibly, and the wounds struck by the beams withered before Jared’s eyes.
Seeing that, bit through his own tongue, flicked a drop of blood onto the Dragonslayer Sword, and barked, “Cleave!”
Sword and unicorn burst into radiance together. A golden dragon shadow coiled with the flaming beast, fusing into a single pillar of gold-and-crimson fire that pierced the heavens.
For an instant, the Ravenousor Wraith’s devouring faltered, its myriad eyes burst like overripe fruit.
“You’re courting death!” A cruel light flashed in Ghostmask’s eyes.
He wove another seal and drove it into the Ravenousor Wraith. “Swallow them! Now!”
The Ravenousor Wraith swelled, its mouth opened into a black hole that engulfed both Jared and the unicorn.
The unicorn’s flames were ripped away, scales sloughed off, and it gave a death-rattle screech.
Jared felt an invisible force tugging the strength from every limb; the Dragonslayer Sword nearly slipped from his grasp.
“No…” He saw the last batch of disciples fleeing the vault and hissed, “Mr. Vermilion, hurry up and possess me! Lend me your power!”
He knew that without that possession, both and the unicorn were finished.
Great, first the Celestial Palace, now some secret organization. I really know how to pick enemies…
A sardonic voice echoed within him. “Kid, your skills get lamer every time. Need my help again?”
The taunt left Jared momentarily speechless.
It’s not that I’m weaker! My enemies just keep getting more deranged!
Initially, I was unbeatable in the Third Heaven, then this organization shows up…
“Cut the chatter. Are you helping or not? If I die, remember, your divine soul dies with me.”
“Help? Of course!” Vermilion Demon Lord readied himself to possess Jared’s body.
But just then, a terrifying pressure erupted inside Jared.
The already-dim sky split apart, and an enormous eye stared down through the rift.
“What is that?” The man in the fog’s voice shook; his ice-blue wind froze in mid-air.
Beneath the eye, a pitch-black crevice unzipped itself, and a shaggy beast padded out.
“T-The… Celestial Devourer?”
Ghostmask’s voice broke, his black fire winked out. “A legend… Something said to devour even the Heavenly Law! Why is it here?”
Relief washed over Jared when spotted the creature. “Never mind, I won’t need you after all!”
With the Celestial Devourer awake, these villains didn’t stand a chance, that beast could truly swallow anything.
If only I could control it… He grimaced, knowing the Celestial Devourer never stirred when danger first struck.
The creature shook its head. Its golden slit pupils swept the battlefield, settled on the Ravenousor Wraith, and it rumbled in satisfaction.
“Oh no! No!” The gray-robed elder tried to recall his Nether Lanterns, but all twelve green lights were yanked free by an unseen force and streaked toward the Celestial Devourer.
