Chapter 229: Damn It! Bruce, Refund Me!
Devouring a complete Demon God and its Power Domain—for a conceptual existence like the Time Monster, this was simply an unprecedented super tonic!
Vast and pure Chaos Magic mixed with dimensional origin exploded within its body, driving its Life Form to rapidly evolve toward a higher level!
Its originally formless body, like chaotic Shadow, began to roil violently, contract, and condense!
Dark body surface gradually revealed patterns like stellar veins, emanating a more restrained yet more terrifying devouring aura. The most obvious change was in its “lower half”—two slender, straight human legs were visibly growing from its originally worm-like body end!
It was evolving from a chaotic “Cosmic Tapeworm” into a more humanoid and more powerful “Star Eater successor”! However, at this critical moment when the evolution was about to complete—Ian was displeased.
“Wait! Leave some for me!”
Ian’s exclamation rang out!
He wanted the Cosmic Tapeworm to store Ingredients for him, not to eat alone—how could such a high-level “Ingredient” like Sangong Mo be hogged by Erios?
He had to taste it himself!
Ian dashed forward in one stride, no longer caring about his image, and directly thrust his hand deep into Erios’s newly closed, still slightly wriggling “mouthpart”!
The motion was as skilled as snatching snacks from his own pet dog’s mouth.
Maybe he really had.
Who knows.
“Urp…”
Erios’s massive body was like a toy before Ian’s even larger frame, unable to resist, and it let out a miserable retching sound.
Ian didn’t care about that.
Ian groped around a few times, then yanked outward—a clump of ultra-condensed Energy Core, emanating dark red eerie Light and constantly twisting and struggling, was forcibly dug out from Erios’s “throat”!
This was precisely Sangong Mo’s most primal power essence!
“Mine, all my victory spoils!”
Ian looked satisfied at the struggling Energy in his hand, said nothing, and directly shoved it into his mouth, slurping it down like Jelly.
【Devoured high-purity Demon God origin! Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points greatly increased!】
【Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points+99451】
【Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points+95321】
【Entropy Annihilation Lord Experience Points+93421】
【Obtained special Talent Fragment: ‘Chaos Authority’（Ununlocked）】
【Constitution slightly enhanced! Mental Pollution resistance increased!】
Who cares if it’s “second-hand imported food”—it’s not like showing off power; this Energy origin melts in Ian’s mouth and gets high-temperature disinfected by his body.
A scorching, violent power dissolved within him.
Bringing a refreshing sense of fullness.
“Feels so good!”
Ian was glad he was quick-eyed and quick-handed, rolling his eyes in satisfaction, but while he was feeling great, Erios over there was in big trouble.
The evolution process was interrupted, and a huge chunk of its core Energy was snatched, causing Erios’s form change to stall instantly! Thus, in this Dark Dimension, an extremely bizarre scene appeared—a Shadow body still mostly worm-like, looking like an enlarged “Cosmic Tapeworm”.
But its lower half abruptly sported two proportionally slender, model-level sensual long legs!
“Roar roar roar~”
The drawback of not speaking human language was fully evident at this moment.
Erios seemed to realize its body’s incoordination and tried to stand on those new legs, but the worm-like upper body couldn’t provide effective balance.
It staggered.
The two long legs awkwardly crossed, barely supporting the long worm body, the entire existence looking lost and helpless, even trembling slightly from the failed evolution and stolen Energy.
Emitting aggrieved mental fluctuations.
“Don’t give me that look!” Ian started complaining about how Erios didn’t obey commands and directly swallowed Sangong Mo, nearly exploding on the spot.
This completely deviated from his scripted “mutual destruction” play!
How was he supposed to continue the act now?!
How to keep fooling… er, soothing the global “family”?! Losing tons of Faith in minutes, this bit of Sangong Mo Energy wasn’t enough to compensate!
The classic capitalist “not profiting is a loss” mentality was boldly proclaimed by Ian.
A round of gaslighting.
Making the already underdeveloped Time Monster feel like it was the one at fault.
“Fine, I won’t blame you. Be more careful next time—not everyone is as tolerant, merciful, and kind as me. Luckily, Master Ian was prepared for this!”
Ian did have countermeasures for this, after all, as someone shaped by the information explosion era, he anticipated emergencies during Live Streams.
“Good thing I’m erudite and know the truth that Live Streams must be delayed by three minutes to leave time for fixes!” Ian wiped fake cold sweat, looking shaken.
He immediately invoked Black Box permissions.
Directly switching global viewers to “pre-made Video”.
On all Earth Live Stream screens, the Image instantly switched! Replaced with Ian’s pre-fabricated “Battle footage” using his Mimicry Ability and Black Box Technology.
In the footage.
Time Monster Erios was beaten howling by Sangong Mo.
It cried and returned to Ian.
Ian in “Light Form” appeared even more “Weak”. He engaged Sangong Mo in an “earth-shattering” final showdown, both sides “evenly matched”, Energy splashing, “fiercely” intense.
Finally, Ian “burned” his last “Light origin”, transforming into a massive, cool, rune-flickering Light Seal, “barely” sealing Sangong Mo inside, while Ian himself “overexerted”, his golden Light fully dimming.
His massive body also began to sway.
Emotional rendering perfect, fully matching audience expectations of “hero’s pyrrhic victory”. Done with that, Ian irritably waved.
“Go back, reflect, and use those legs to learn how to write a Self-Criticism Letter.” Ian handed the Time Monster a book on《100 Ways to Write a Self-Criticism Letter》.
Erios, just having swallowed Sangong Mo and “digesting” contentedly, let out a reluctant whine but couldn’t resist Ian’s Will; its massive body rapidly shrank and deformed, turning into a Shadow ray, recalled into Ian’s palm and re-Sealed.
At the same time.
Ian himself began to act.
He dispelled the【Light Form】and【Star Eater】Simulation; his massive Energy body deflated like a punctured ball, rapidly shrinking. Simultaneously, he fully activated Mimicry Ability, applying hyper-realistic “post-battle trauma” effects to his now normal human-sized body.
There.
Ian’s face was pale as paper, bloodless.
Golden “Blood” remained at his mouth corners, clothes torn on his Chest, revealing “grievous” “Wounds” below, aura utterly feeble.
Eyes unfocused, as if about to collapse anytime… all effects maxed out. He controlled his body, falling “helplessly” from mid-air like a cut kite, “crashing” onto the Void “ground” of the Dark Dimension, kicking up Dust.
No one could explain why the Dark Dimension had lighting.
No one would ask.
Even if asked, no one would answer.
Done with that, Ian arduously lifted his head, facing the nonexistent “camera”, using his last “strength”, weakly delivering his “final speech” and “last words”.
“Cough… cough cough…” He first “painfully” coughed a few times, as if organs gravely injured.
“Earth… compatriots, family… the evil Demon… has been… sealed by me… with the last… Demon Seal Wave…”
Ian still loved copying.
“But… this… this is only… temporary…”
His voice was full of Fatigue and worry.
“The Seal’s power… comes from… Light and Faith… in everyone’s hearts…”
He started the classic routine.
“When people… lose pursuit of Light… when Faith is shrouded by Darkness… when that moment comes again… perhaps… this Demon… will… return…” Here, he sharply inhaled, like a last rally, face flushing unnaturally.
Eyes “bright and spirited”, filled with “hope” and “belief” for the future.
“But! Everyone… don’t fear!”
“By then… surely… there will be a Youth… inheriting my Will… who stands up!”
“He may be ordinary… but his heart holds… unyielding Light!”
“He will wield the torch of hope… once more… guarding our home!”
This speech full of JRPG and hot-blooded anime style “Prophecy” and “entrustment”, paired with his “dying” yet enduring state, maxed out the fooling power!
Proving everyone has a chuunibyou inside, just hidden usually. Ian’s stunt reignited global viewers’ Faith frenzy!
Countless people were moved to tears by his “tragic” sacrifice and “great” Prophecy, Faith in “God of Light” firmer, full of expectation for the illusory “Successor”! Purer Power of Faith surged into Ian, ignoring dimensional barriers!
【Absorbed massive devout Faith! Divine Power purity increased!】
【Lord of Blazing Ashes Experience Points+88888!】
【Light Essence+66666! Dark Embers+66666!（Successfully completed ‘Fence-Sitting’: Save humanity（Do good）+Mass deceive public（Do evil））】
【You Upgraded】
【You Upgraded】
【You Upgraded】
……
【Lord of Blazing Ashes lv14〔7608/81920〕】
【Strength: 2008—2189】
【Constitution: 2998—3569】
【Intelligence: 170—250】
【Spirit: 1140—1459】
Another wave of new Experience Points, though Ian was stuffed and digestion was slow, still pushed his new Profession to level fourteen.
Leveled up several times.
Ian’s mood, which should have been great, was soured by his snarky System; he bet the bracketed prompt had personal grudge.
“Definitely because I’m so loving, System bro is jealous.” Ian found a flawless excuse in his mind, but he wasn’t planning to comfort his System now.
A mature System should digest its own negative emotions.
Without affecting the more mature Master Ian.
Master Ian now had serious business—feeling his surging power and incoming Experience, his face still maintained the “imminent farewell” tragedy and reluctance.
His shrunken body “feebly” fully “lost” support, slowly closing eyes, as if falling into eternal sleep.
The Live Stream Image slowly darkened amid mournful music, finally blacking out.
Leaving Earth with countless mourning “God of Light”‘s “fall”, yet hopeful from the “Successor” Prophecy.
However, at the global mourning peak, as casinos prepared to settle— the blacked-out Live Stream suddenly lit up again!
Signal forcibly restored!
The Image still the ruined Dark Dimension, but perspective zoomed closer.
The “God of Light” Ian Teiken hadn’t “died” immediately; his feeble form was arduously propping the ground with arms.
As if trying to sit up.
“Uh…” Ian’s face scarily pale, aura weak, but eyes burned with unwilling survival flame, facing the empty front.
“I think I can still be saved, I have one breath left.” Ian used last strength, squeezing a hopeful smile, weakly.
This sudden “turn”, rollercoastered global viewers from despair to hope!
Countless held breath, clenched fists, mentally screaming: “Hold on! Live!”
But just as hope ignited—
Sudden change!
One hand.
A hand covered in black tactical Gloves, hard lines, full of power, abruptly emerged ghost-like from Shadow behind Ian!
That hand, with icy resolve and power, in Ian’s “defenseless” state, thunderously pierced his Chest!
“Pfft—!”
A teeth-gritting, flesh-tearing thud clearly transmitted worldwide via Live Stream gear!
“Urgh—!”
Ian’s body stiffened, survival hope on face froze into utmost Pain and incredulous Shock! He arduously lowered head bit by bit, gaze horrified at his Chest—the black hand protruded from front, fingers gripping a faintly beating heart.
Yes.
Ian really mimicked a heart for himself.
Symbolizing his vast love, greatness.
Blood, or molten gold-like “Divine Blood”, gushed like free-flowing tap from huge front and back Wounds.
Like a fountain.
The Blood spray so outrageous, hard not to suspect Ian had hypertension.
“I…”
Ian opened mouth, seeming to say something, but Blood overflowed first from corners.
Using last breath, he raised head, gaze piercing dimensions to the hand’s owner, eyes full of endless Confusion, sorrow, and accusation, finally whispering his last “words”, audible to all.
“How could it be… Batman… you…”
Words unfinished, Light in eyes fully dimmed, head powerlessly drooped, tongue lolled, body softly collapsed, utterly lifeless.
At least it looked that way.
Ian staged a standard on-site death.
Live Stream “thoughtfully” close-upped Ian’s “eyes wide in death” face, exhaustively showing pre-death Shock and reluctance.
Then, camera slowly panned up.
A black, tall, immense oppressive figure, like emerging from deepest Nightmare, slowly revealed full form from Shadow behind Ian.
Black Cape, iconic Bat Helmet, full-body armor, and glaring Bat emblem on Chest…
It was Batman!
He stood there.
Like primordial Darkness itself, coldly overlooking the “God of Light”‘s Corpse below.
The hand that pierced Ian’s Chest slowly withdrew, black tactical Gloves stained with golden “Blood”. He raised head, as if staring through Screen into every Earth viewer’s Soul, with voice-modulated, low hoarse, emotionless voice, slowly and clearly declared.
“Earth.”
“Does not allow such an outrageous existence.”
Words done, Live Stream signal fully cut. Screen plunged into dead black silence.
……
Earth, some secret “safehouse” filled with financial data streams.
Real Bruce Wayne just completed a thrilling financial op, using Ian’s chaos and global attention, with Batman’s precise intel, reaping astronomical profits far beyond Ian’s “small bets” from international capital sharks and speculators.
He was about to relax, check results, and “enjoy” how Ian wrapped up. Then—nothing.
He saw the Screen’s final scene.
“?????”
His expression went from puzzled, to stunned, to shocked, to utter indescribable blankness.
Bruce Wayne’s brain, able to process all Gotham Crime data and simulate hundreds of Crisis Plans instantly.
Yet crashed hard here.
Bruce Wayne felt his battle-hardened nerves groan under strain. He could even hear his Sanity Value plummeting.
As his brain preempted consciousness, making body sweat.
“Fuck! Capital set me up! Bruce! Refund!!!”
A deafening, grief-despair roar thundered via encrypted comms right in his ear!
From Green Arrow, who knew Batman’s identity.
Oliver Queen!
