462

Cthulhu Ego

"Yes, it seems this evil plant is your masterpiece," Forseti said.

As the saying goes, a tiger doesn't eat its cubs. He had seen many villains, but none like Ego, who would kill his own offspring and their mothers like Star-Lord's mother, who were all used up and died of cancer a few years later, as tools.

Facing such a sinful god, Forseti would naturally not let him go.

He pulled out the mysterious flower Ego had planted on the planet, and Ego obviously wasn't going to let him do that.

"Very well, you will pay for this!" Ego growled, his body enveloped in blue light, emitting energy fluctuations akin to distortions.

The plants he left on various planets were carefully cultivated clones, each requiring significant effort and energy. They formed the foundation of his plan to conquer the universe. If Forseti destroyed his clones, Ego would not give up easily.

Before Forseti could respond, two beams of blue light shot from Egg's palms.

Forseti was prepared. The Holy Light in his right hand shimmered, forming a shield that blocked the beams.

"Boom!" The shield cracked under the impact of the beams.

Ego's expression changed involuntarily. He held himself in high regard and did not expect his attacks to be easily repelled.

But what happened next stunned him even more.

Forseti suddenly radiated golden light, holy wings sprouting from his back, bathing him in a divine glow like a four-winged angel made of gold.

Egg sensed an immense increase in Forseti's power with the appearance of these wings, an energy that made him uncomfortable, as though facing divine judgment that could condemn him to death at any moment.

"This..." Ego had never felt this way before, looking at Forseti in disbelief.

As a god born from the void, he had always considered himself beyond concepts of good and evil, never imagining he would be judged for justice.

That mindset led him to act without boundaries, killing his offspring and wives as he pleased. To mortals, these were his loved ones, but to him, mere tools.

Yet now, the energy before him was clearly passing judgment on his crimes.

Forseti's wings spread wide, the Saffron Warhammer turning into flames melded into his right hand. Gripping the Demon Slayer Sword, it gleamed like a golden rainbow as he charged at Ego.

Ego's eyes widened. He conjured a shield of blue light with both hands just in time.

"Boom!"

A resounding clash of golden and blue light echoed as the Demon Slayer Sword slashed through Ego's shield.

The shield lasted less than a second before shattering under the sword's edge.

The sword continued its arc, striking Egg's head.

"Boom!" Punishing brilliance erupted, and Egg's head vanished.

For an ordinary being, losing their head meant death. But as a clone of a living planet, Egg's body did not adhere to normal rules. Even headless, he stumbled back, blue light coalescing at his fractured neck.

With a surge of blue light, Ego's bones reformed rapidly, nerves and blood vessels intertwining and extending, muscles bulging, skin covering his form. In moments, he stood whole once more.

But he bore little resemblance to his former self. His eyes betrayed fear, a desire to flee.

Forseti didn't give him that chance. His angelic form granted him incredible speed, easily intercepting Ego's every move.

Repeatedly thwarted, Ego attempted to escape, but each attempt ended with Forseti's sword piercing him again.

Reduced to human form by the punishing brilliance, Egg tried to warn, "This is only a clone of me. If you destroy my clone, my true form will hunt you down!"

"Your true form?" Forseti chuckled. "I'd welcome the challenge."

Ego, a living planet, would find it inconvenient to move. Forseti doubted he would come in person, likely sending more clones.

With Holy Light's restraint, Forseti would slay each one, even if three came at once.

Before he could finish, Forseti swung the Demon Slayer Sword once more, piercing Ego's chest. Holy Light surged through the blade, pouring into Ego's form.

"I'll make you regret—" Ego roared, but the relentless Holy Light shredded him to ash.

"Boom!"

Elsewhere in cosmic silence, a planet's calm sky cracked. Thunder roared, storms swept, and thunderous echoes shook the world.

The tumult subsided slowly, a cluster of blue light forming in the planet's atmosphere.

A human figure took shape, nerves, bones, vessels, flesh, and clothing manifesting until a handsome man with flowing hair stood in place. It was a new clone of Ego, identical to the one destroyed by Forseti.

Reconstituting his avatar, Ego seethed with rage, roaring into the sky, "Ah—"

Calming, he projected a human face in blue light, Forseti's face.

Grimacing, Ego clenched his fist, dispelling the projection.

---

After the battle, Forseti sheathed his weapon and surveyed the Sanctum.

This kill earned him the final spell on the fifth floor, Holy Prism.

Holy Prism could harm enemies and heal allies over a wide area, a potent and practical spell.

More importantly, with all fifth-floor spells in hand, he could access the sixth floor.

Yet, prerequisites remained.

"To unlock the sixth layer, challenge Tirion Fordring and two other heroes in the trial and triumph."