Chapter 491: Weird Power

BOOM!

A blinding explosion swallowed the clock construct enforcer.

For a brief moment, its enormous figure completely disappeared within the dazzling light.

However, as the radiance gradually dissipated, the familiar hands of the clock emerged from within.

They were still moving.

Not a single part of its body had been damaged.

"Are you kidding me?"

Bertram was beginning to feel genuinely irritated.

Before he could launch another attack, a brilliant beam of energy suddenly erupted from the center of the clock.

It struck him directly in the chest.

The impact pushed Bertram backward for a short distance before he managed to stabilize himself.

His coat fluttered from the force as he glanced down at the point of impact.

There was neither blood nor any visible injury.

"That didn’t hurt at all."

Bertram sounded almost disappointed.

When another beam came toward him, he simply raised his palm and caught it.

With a slight movement of his fingers, the energy shattered into countless particles.

"They’re not particularly strong, Brother Caelus," Bertram called out. "Each one has approximately fifty Power Index. They’re still at the Early Primordial stage."

Caelus frowned.

"Then why can’t you damage them?"

"I’d love to know that myself."

As they spoke, the remaining three constructs began spreading out around Bertram.

Their enormous rings rotated continuously as several beams shot toward him from different directions.

Bertram swiftly moved sideways, deliberately drawing them farther away from the ship.

The beams followed him, but he casually knocked them aside.

Despite being surrounded, he hadn’t suffered so much as a scratch.

Caelus turned toward his companions.

"Can you three give it a try? Use different powers and see whether anything works."

Sylvia had already summoned her Blood-Moon Sword.

"Watch the one on the left," she said. "Its face changes slightly whenever an attack lands."

With those words, she flew out of the ship.

Himmel and Freya immediately followed her.

[Skill Activated: Sanguine Genesis.]

A large quantity of blood materialized around Sylvia, rapidly taking the shape of numerous elongated spears.

With a single thought, she sent them flying toward the nearest construct while circling around its side.

The spears struck its rotating metallic rings.

However, instead of piercing through them, they shattered upon impact.

Sylvia didn’t stop there.

She slipped through a gap between the rings and swung her Blood-Moon Sword directly at the clock’s face.

An ominous power spread across the blade.

[Authority Activated: Death.]

The moment her sword struck, the clock’s face flickered strangely.

However, the blade simply scraped across its surface without leaving even the slightest mark.

’Huh?’

Sylvia immediately pulled back as another beam shot toward her.

After avoiding the attack, she briefly examined her sword.

The blade was completely unharmed.

"It isn’t the metal," she muttered, coming to a realization. "Something is preventing our attacks from damaging it."

Meanwhile, Freya raised both hands toward another construct.

[Authority Activated: Life.]

An invisible force enveloped the enormous clock as she attempted to interfere with whatever energy or life force might exist within it.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t find anything to affect.

The metallic rings continued rotating without the slightest disturbance.

Freya frowned.

"Then how about this!"

She released a powerful burst of raw energy directly toward its face.

BOOM!

The attack exploded against the construct, scattering brilliant light across the surrounding space.

However, when the light faded, the enormous clock remained perfectly intact.

"That didn’t work either!"

Himmel, who had been observing their attempts, finally extended one hand.

[Authority Activated: Creation.]

A long, black cannon began materializing around his arm.

Its intricate structure rapidly took shape, forming an enormous barrel pointed directly toward the construct.

A brilliant point of energy gathered within it, growing increasingly intense.

"Move aside."

Sylvia immediately grabbed Freya and pulled her away from the line of fire.

A moment later, the cannon discharged.

BOOOOM!

A concentrated beam of energy shot forward and struck the center of the enormous clock.

Brilliant light spread across its face before spilling around the edges.

However, even after the attack completely dissipated, the construct remained unharmed.

Himmel slowly lowered his arm.

Inside the ship, Caelus had been observing every exchange with increasing interest.

Something was definitely wrong.

It wasn’t as though the constructs were regenerating after receiving damage.

Rather, none of their attacks seemed capable of harming them in the first place.

’Just what kind of defense is this?’

Before he could contemplate the matter further, one of the clocks suddenly turned toward the pale planet below.

Its two elongated hands began moving.

Then, without warning, they stopped together.

An immense beam of light erupted from the center of the construct and shot directly toward the planet.

BOOOOM!

The beam tore through the planet’s surface and penetrated deep into its enormous cracks.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then, a brilliant light began spreading beneath the crust.

An entire section of the planet bulged outward as tremendous amounts of energy accumulated within.

And the next moment...

BOOOOOOM!

The planet broke apart!

Enormous fragments of its surface separated as its exposed interior erupted, releasing a terrifying wave of destruction.

Countless pieces of debris scattered through space, accompanied by a vast cloud of glowing dust.

Caelus immediately grabbed the ship’s controls and steered the vessel away from the approaching debris.

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice suddenly echoed through the surrounding space.

"All... anom... anomalies must... die."

Caelus turned toward the nearest construct.

The voice had come from it.

However, its words sounded strangely distorted, with the final word repeating in several overlapping tones.

The symbols covering its face began twisting into irregular, unreadable lines.

"All an... anomalies... must die."

Hearing those words, Caelus’s expression darkened.

’Anomalies?’

Were those things referring to them?

Before he could figure it out, the four constructs suddenly turned in unison.

Their enormous rings shifted into alignment, and brilliant energy began accumulating within their centers.

Four beams shot directly toward Sylvia and the others.

"Watch out!"

Bertram immediately appeared in front of them.

He spread both arms, conjuring an enormous defensive barrier.

BOOOM!

The four beams struck the barrier simultaneously, filling the surrounding space with a blinding white radiance.

"Get behind me!" Bertram shouted.

Sylvia immediately pulled Freya backward while Himmel covered their retreat.

Bertram pushed his barrier forward, forcing the incoming beams to break apart against its surface.

He remained in front of the constructs as the others retreated toward the ship.

"They can’t get past my defenses!" he called out. "But I can’t seem to destroy them either!"

Hearing this, Caelus finally decided to intervene.

He stepped through the ship’s doorway.

"Keep everyone protected. I’ll give it a try."

He had already considered several possibilities.

One of them was Origin Lock.

If some kind of mysterious protection was preventing the constructs from receiving damage, perhaps he could simply use Origin Lock to interfere with it.

He could already feel the authority responding as he focused on the nearest clock.

However, before resorting to that, Caelus wanted to test something else.

After all, the Axiom Origin had immediately recognized these entities as the Akashic Records’ Enforcers.

Perhaps there was something about his connection to the Axiom Origin that would allow him to affect them.

’Well, there’s only one way to find out.’

Caelus flew away from the ship.

[Transformation Activated: Chaos Devil Dragon.]

Almost immediately, an overwhelming transformation began taking place throughout his body.

Pitch-black scales emerged from his hands and rapidly spread across his arms.

His fingers elongated into enormous claws while his shoulders widened considerably.

Two curved horns extended backward from his head as his entire physique began expanding at an astonishing rate.