Chapter 410: That Bookstore Owner Isn't That Strong

Michael pulled down his hood as he faced the endless dark blue sea. Wind blew his hat loose, and his golden hair fell out, making it appear even more dazzling under the red sunset.

His feet treaded lightly on the golden beach as the reddish-yellow rays reflected on his face.

This was a void domain created by the sovereign who had claimed the void as his own territory as well as the most powerful black magician at present—Zaphkiel.

Even Michael couldn't help being in awe at the one who ruled the void. Everything in the world first came from the void. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Zaphkiel was the master of all things.

After all, there was nothing more permanent than the nothingness of the Void. Eternity was just but nothingness…

Michael once had a total of nine companions like Zaphkiel. He thought he might be able to fulfill his dream by gathering the ten that possessed the power to shape the world.

After all, concepts of 'eternity' to these nine were as simple as eating to humans.

However...

Michael sat down on a rock that had been eroded by waves as he gazed out at the boundless sea, lost in thought.

However, four of his nine companions had already fallen in succession, and the one who had taken them down was just a mere fellow who self-proclaimed himself as a bookstore owner.

The founding members of the Path of the Flaming Sword were all ancient Supreme-rank beings that had existed for ages. Their level of mysticism had long surpassed 99% of transcendent beings in the world. Yet now, they were like droplets of water in a funnel, gravitating toward the hole in the center—the bookstore owner.

Boss... Lin, huh?

Bookstore owner, what sort of frightening existence are you? What's the reason for you to oppose me at every turn? What exactly is your goal?

Faint silhouettes gradually took shape in the emptiness as Michael lost himself in thought.

Michael stood up from the rock and readjusted his white robe. Ignoring the sea breeze rustling it, he held the red cross in his hand like a walking stick in front of him. He walked barefoot on the sandbank while the waves constantly kissed his feet.

The Path of the Flaming Sword had finally convened.

The first shadowy silhouette, Zaphkiel, was the first to speak, "Michael, I've brought all the members who were available."

Although the Path of the Flaming Sword had gathered before, it was rare for everyone to come together in such a complete manner. Most of the time, they relied on Sandalphon to pass messages between them, but sadly, Sandalphon had already died.

Since his conversation with the Giant King, Augustus, Michael had decided to change the Path of the Flaming Sword's habit of working scattered and individually into concentrating their efforts on eliminating Boss Lin.

In his eyes, Boss Lin had become an insurmountable obstacle and a presence he had to overcome. Although he had not fully experienced the bookstore owner's strength, Michael's intuition told him his dream would be within reach if he could defeat this bookstore owner.

Michael surveyed the various silhouette forms, who were the most remarkable transcendent beings in the world. To them, humans were like mere insects, and it was simply ridiculous for them to assume human form.

Moreover, many of them were far away from humans and could not understand human aesthetics and postures. Forcibly transforming into human form would only make them even more unpredictable.

In comparison, Michael had a good understanding of human aesthetics.

Michael silently recited the names of these various silhouettes in his heart. Suddenly, he noticed an unfamiliar humanoid form at the end, resembling a young man but with a familiar aura.

"Haniel?" Michael called out this name in bewilderment, because the aura of this silhouette was very similar to that of the being who controlled time. "Is this your new form? I thought you were dead. That's great!"

Before the young man's phantom silhouette could speak, another large silhouette spoke up, "Haniel had a great battle with the bookstore owner and was accidently involved in the battle at 67th Avenue. All of which I observed clearly."

"But I still found Haniel," Zaphkiel, who appeared like an old man in a tattered robe, suddenly spoke. "With the help of a spy controlled by Raziel, she was resurrected."

"Is that so?" Michael frowned, feeling somewhat skeptical.

"Yes," 'Haniel' spoke. "The puppet used by Raziel as an experiment, named Fitch, was used by me as a vessel." With that, 'Haniel' raised his hand, and his arm, which was previously a mere silhouette, began to take shape.

His arm was like countless rays materializing, refracting countless unimaginable colors as if made of unbreakable glass that was shattered and yet unbreakable.

Gradually, a small worm emerged from the palm of his hand, and Michael immediately sensed its aura. There was a worm with the essence of time, and all of Michael's doubts disappeared.

"Ah, you never cease to amaze me," Michael couldn't help but smile, his gloomy state of mind while he had been facing the sea at sunset now vanished. "I never expected that you would escape from the bookstore owner."

"Hmm?" Suddenly, a slender and lanky silhouette raised a voice of doubt. "Did I hear you correctly, Michael? You just said 'escape from that bookstore owner.'"

Michael remained silent in the face of this inquiry.

"Haniel controls the Law of time, which is undoubtedly a law that is unbeatable that even I, Zadkiel, have to admit. Yet, you say 'escaped'?!"

The lanky being, Zadkiel, had the form of a slender gentleman with a tall hat and cane, just that his body was several meters tall.

He had a rather profound gaze on right now as he pressed further, "Is that bookstore owner really that strong?"

His eyes didn't show fear but instead glowed with a strange glint.

Michael couldn't help but sigh, seeing his compatriot's nonchalant attitude toward the bookstore owner. Then he said, "It's not about whether he's strong or not. I had a brief encounter with him..."

"That bookstore owner isn't that strong!" Haniel, who had been silent all this while, suddenly interrupted Michael, causing everyone's attention to shift toward him.

"I've gone up against that boss before, and while he's certainly strong, he's not that strong," Haniel said with some dissatisfaction. "Saying that I managed to escape is severely underestimating me, Michael!"

Michael frowned, then responded, "But Raziel and Sandalphon fell at his hands."

Raziel's betrayal wasn't as simple as things appeared to them. The real Raziel was long dead, and the current Raziel was just a puppet whose will had been devoured.

"That was because of the witch who was by his side, Walpurgis who controls the night. She killed Sandalphon and devoured Raziel's will.

"When I fought him, I was able to retreat unscathed, just like you did when you fought him, Michael. If he's really that powerful, why didn't he kill you then?" said Haniel confidently.

Haniel's words made the other members of the Path of the Flaming Sword nod in agreement. Seeing Michael still having doubts, Haniel raised an eyebrow and said, "There's no use worrying about how strong he is now, is there? Even if he's stronger, we still have to beat him.

"The fall of Raziel and Sandalphon should give us a big hint that while he's definitely strong, he's not strong enough to defeat us when we're united. That's why he's trying to take us down separately, isn't that so?

"In other words, as long as we're willing to combine our strengths, that bookstore owner isn't that scary! Isn't that why you came to us, Michael?"

Michael pondered for a while and nodded. "You're right."