Chapter 150
by post_apiChapter 150: The Vessel of God
The dim light enveloped the café, spreading rapidly with an almost unnatural swiftness. Before one could blink, half the street was cloaked in shadow. Everyone within range succumbed instantly, collapsing unconscious to the ground. Thousands were affected in mere moments.
The infamous Pastor—one of the two great powers in Tatsumi City—was a figure of dread. Despite once falling into a trap and being pushed to the brink by the Night Watcher, he had managed to escape, leaving Lin Bian and the Raven Reaper gravely injured. His survival was a testament to the power of Crown-level extraordinary beings—individuals who stood above humanity itself.
For ordinary people, the difference between an Origin Level superhuman and themselves was barely noticeable. But at the Awakening Level, everything changed. These beings became extraordinary, commanding awe and reverence. They wielded the power of life and death and ruled over the supernatural with the authority their title implied.
To ascend from Awakening to Crown required completing a “Crown Ceremony,” a process fraught with peril. The ceremony’s details were fiercely guarded secrets, and even with the help of powerful allies, the risk of failure loomed large. Crown-level superhumans were not merely powerful—they were irreplaceable assets. Leaders of small factions or cornerstones of great forces, their presence alone could tilt the balance of power.
The black light’s explosion tore through the street at breakneck speed, yet Bai Yan moved faster—gliding through the chaos as though the world itself had slowed. Wrapping his arms around the waists of two girls, he appeared calm and composed, though the exertion of such speed left him quietly fatigued.
“Hide in that supermarket,” Bai Yan commanded, fixing Scatino with a look that compelled her to obey. The long-term mind control was seamless, and she hurried toward the distant shelter.
Maryse, visibly anxious, hesitated. “Senior, are you confident? Can you defeat him with just this projection?”
Her worry was justified. Pastor was a formidable opponent, immune to her psychic powers, and their chances seemed slim.
“This projection holds less than one-thousandth of my original power,” Bai Yan replied calmly, mixing truth with lies. “It’ll be difficult, but not impossible.”
Maryse believed him. His words, smooth and unerring, gave her no reason to doubt.
“I’ll help,” she said resolutely. Though nervous, she couldn’t refuse after he had just saved her.
Bai Yan smiled knowingly. He had already deciphered her personality. She hated being used or ordered around but would gladly cooperate if approached tactfully.
Before long, Pastor emerged from the black radiance—a menacing silhouette of power.
“This matter does not concern Babel Tower. Hand her over, and we can resolve this peacefully,” he declared in a voice both calm and authoritative.
“You’re mistaken,” Bai Yan
replied, his tone unwavering.
“Any threat to the world
concerns Babel Tower. The
Savior’s commands are
absolute, and we follow His
will without fail.”
At the mention of “His will,”
Pastor’s expression shifted, his
narrowed eyes betraying his
unease. Words, it seemed,
would not suffice.
Maryse struck first. “Deep Red
– Divine Punishment!” she
shouted, unleashing a barrage
of high-speed coins toward
Pastor.
The coins collided with an
impenetrable wall of black
light, the Pastor’s divine
defense. Unscathed, he
retaliated with a massive surge
of energy.
“Let’s go,” Bai Yan said calmly,
taking Maryse and evading the
devastating attack. The ground
ruptured violently behind them
as black flames ignited,
consuming everything in their
path.
The battle escalated as Pastor
summoned his ultimate
weapon: The Pupil of
Prometheus, a Civilization-
Level Relic. Its radiant green
light disoriented Maryse
instantly, reducing her to
incoherent babbling.
Pastor smirked, confident in
his advantage—until Bai Yan
intervened. With calculated
precision, he used Maryse as a
diversion, forcing Pastor to
overextend. The relentless
black flames began to
consume even the divine
defenses, and the scales
tipped.
Eventually, Pastor relented. “If
your goal is to protect the city,
we are not enemies,” he said,
his voice weary.
But Bai Yan wasn’t swayed so
easily. His mind worked swiftly,
extracting information and
securing an advantage. Pastor,
cornered and vulnerable,
revealed Scatino’s significance
—a potential Vessel of God.
With his objective complete,
Bai Yan withdrew, leaving
Pastor to retreat in defeat.
Back at the luxurious villa, Bai
Yan relaxed, swirling a glass of
fine red wine. Maryse, now
recovered thanks to the
Recovery Spring, sulked
nearby, her earlier humiliation
fresh in her mind. Bai Yan, ever
the diplomat, apologized
sincerely, diffusing her anger
with practiced ease.
“Please believe me,” he said,
his tone soft yet firm. “At that
moment, I had no other choice.
If you feel I’ve wronged you, I
promise it won’t happen
again.”
Maryse hesitated but
eventually nodded. “I chose to
trust you. I can’t blame anyone
but myself.”
Bai Yan’s smile deepened. He
had successfully pacified her,
but in his mind, he was already
formulating new schemes.
As he gazed at the night sky
through the villa’s grand
windows, a spark of
excitement flickered in his
eyes.
“A grand spectacle is about to
begin,” he murmured, lifting his
glass in quiet anticipation.