333: Chapter 268: First Battle Defeat, Divine Judgment Overcomes All Families

In the Pantheon Arena, the chatter on the galaxy-like spectator stands receded like a tide, replaced by a heavy silence. The clash of ideologies between Xinghai University and the Galactic Royal Academy was like two invisible torrents crashing and surging in the hearts of every observer.

“The pre-match debate phase has concluded,” the host's steady voice broke the silence. “Both sides' ideologies have been clarified. Now, the Pantheon Arena will conduct the Initial Rule Environment Determination.”

A soft light, yet one imbued with supreme authority, spilled down from the arena's dome and swept across both platforms. This was a basic adaptive fine-tuning of the arena's own rules after synthesizing the characteristics and declared ideologies of both Divine Domains. While it wouldn't directly favor one side, it could have extremely subtle effects on map generation, energy distribution, and even the manifestation level of certain specific rules.

As the light swept over the Galactic Royal Academy's platform, the phantom of the Angelic Divine Court behind Michael trembled slightly. It seemed to resonate with the light, becoming a bit more solid as the Holy Light grew even purer. When it swept over the Xinghai University platform, Lin Zhou's river of civilization phantom rippled in layers, as if undergoing some form of inspection. Ultimately, its all-encompassing aura was not rejected or weakened; instead, it seemed to be granted a clearer 'definition of existence,' achieving a subtle harmony with the arena's fundamental rules.

Lin Zhou's heart stirred as he felt an almost imperceptible sense of 'recognition' or 'acceptance' from the arena's rules. Although it was far from enough to counter the suppression of Michael's [Divine Rule], it at least indicated that his 'Way of Civilization' was not 'illegal' or 'erroneous' here. This might slightly weaken the intensity of suppression when judged as 'heresy.' It was a minor advantage.

“Determination complete. Now, the drawing for the first match of the finals begins!” the host's voice rang out again.

On the massive light screen, the participants' codenames (anonymous) began to spin rapidly. The finals followed a best-of-five format, with each match's map and participating player being randomized, making it full of uncertainty.

Countless gazes were fixed on the light screen.

The vortex stopped, and two spots of light popped out and enlarged.

Xinghai University: Codename 'Dragonborn' (Zhao Hao)

Galactic Royal Academy: Codename 'Holy Radiance' (Michael St. Augustus)

“First match! Roaring Dragon vs. Holy Radiance!” the host shouted. “Map drawing in progress... Drawing complete: [The Wall of Sighs]!”

The light screen displayed a peculiar terrain: a vast plain composed of countless massive, ancient, greyish-white rocks. Atop the plain stood various giant stone monuments, hundreds of meters tall, their surfaces covered in blurred ancient runes that radiated an aura of vicissitude and weight. Map characteristics: Open terrain but with numerous stone monument obstacles; the environment possesses 'Ancient Pressure' (all units start with -10% Morale, but can adapt over time or offset it through specific means); stone monuments may activate temporary defensive/offensive effects (random); stable atmospheric energy, suitable for large-scale legion deployment and aerial combat.

This map wasn't particularly advantageous for either side. The open terrain suited the deployment and charge of the Galactic Royal Academy's Angel Legion, but the numerous stone obstacles also gave the highly mobile Dragon Clan legion opportunities for flanking and concealment. The 'Ancient Pressure' affected both sides, depending on who could adapt or break it faster.

“Hahaha! Boss! I'm in the first match! And I'm up against their boss!” Zhao Hao growled excitedly in the team channel, rubbing his hands together. “Watch me burn those birdmen's wings off with Dragon Breath!”

Lin Zhou, however, frowned slightly. The core of Zhao Hao's dragon divine domain lay in powerful individual combat strength, flight advantage, and the area-of-effect damage of Dragon Breath. His tactics were relatively direct, excelling in frontal Breakthroughs and aerial suppression. However, Michael's [Angelic Divine Court] and its Divine Rule' suppression and damage bonus against 'heresy' would likely pose a massive threat to non-holy attribute Dragons. Furthermore, as the opponent's leader, Michael's strength was unfathomable. Zhao Hao likely...

“Zhao Hao, be careful,” Lin Zhou warned in a low voice. “His Divine Rule will likely judge your Dragons as 'heresy.' Be sure to avoid his core skills, use the stone monuments to maneuver, look for opportunities, and don't force a direct confrontation.”

Su Yueyao also reminded him, “His Angel Legion coordinates tightly. Watch out for those Cherub Priests' area-of-effect divine Spells.”

Wang Meng patted Zhao Hao's shoulder. “Brother, don't back down! Kick his ass!”

Qin Qing analyzed calmly, “Your Black Dragon's Dragon Breath carries corrosion; it might be able to resist Holy Light purification to some extent. You can give it a try.”

Zhao Hao grinned, his eyes burning with intense Battle Intent. “Don't worry, everyone! I don't care about 'holy' or whatever—the pride of the Dragon Clan isn't something a few beams of light can erase! Just watch me!” With that, he strode toward the teleportation pillar and his figure vanished.

The Xinghai University team watched him leave, but a shadow hung over their hearts. Facing the opponent's strongest point in the first match was by no means a good omen.

[The Wall of Sighs], the match begins!

Both sides' Divine Kingdoms unfolded in relatively open areas at opposite ends of the plain.

Zhao Hao's [Dragon's Lair] Divine Kingdom had a rugged style full of wild power. Its core was [Dragon Sleep Mountain], forged from countless dragon bones, gems, and metals, with massive dragon caves scattered across it. Within the Divine Kingdom, hundreds of massive dragons of various colors were already raising their heads and roaring, their Dragon Might permeating the air! The main force consisted of nearly a hundred [Adult Black Dragons (LV40-LV45)], their scales as black as ink, their Dragon Breath carrying strong acid corrosion and shadow damage. They were supported by dozens of [Copper Dragons (LV38-LV42)] with outstanding defense and high-temperature fire breath, and a small number of [Emerald Dragons (LV36-LV40)] capable of casting nature-based auxiliary Spells. In the sky, there were over ten particularly massive [Dragon Elders (LV48-LV50)] serving as core combatants. Zhao Hao's Divine Kingdom characteristics were [Dragon Might Domain] (enemy units within range are affected by Dragon Might, with a chance to fall into fear) and [Treasure Incentive] (Dragons' combat power increases slightly when near rare minerals or treasures).

On the other side, as Michael's [Angelic Divine Court] unfolded, the scene was entirely different. Holy Light shone brilliantly as towering white halls, soaring spires, and pools of Holy Light flowing with golden liquid appeared out of thin air. At the center was the phantom of a radiant [Holy Throne]. Within the Divine Kingdom, the Angel Legion stood in strict formation! At the very front was a phalanx of [Angel Warriors (LV42-LV45)] wielding giant shields and Holy Light longswords. Behind them were [Seraph Vanguards (LV44-LV48)] dual-wielding flaming holy swords. Floating in the air were [Cherub Priests (LV41-LV46)] chanting Holy Hymns. Beside the throne, two [Archangels (LV55+)] clad in magnificent golden armor with three pairs of light wings stood silently, their auras vast. The Divine Kingdom characteristic was that heart-palpitating [Divine Rule] Domain; wherever the light reached, even the air seemed to become 'holy' and 'exclusive.'

“Filthy lizards, do you think you're worthy of soaring in the holy sky?” Michael's cold and majestic voice rang out, devoid of any emotion. “In the name of the Holy, purify this defiled land. Angel Legion, advance!”

He didn't even perform any probing, directly commanding the Angel Legion to push forward toward Zhao Hao's Dragon's Lair in a disciplined formation! As the Holy Light shone, the effects of the [Divine Rule] began to manifest—Zhao Hao's Dragons clearly felt a sense of discomfort under the light. Their Dragon Might seemed suppressed by an invisible force, and even the luster of their scales dimmed. This was the basic suppression effect of the Divine Rule against 'heresy' (non-holy factions)!

“Roar! Dragon whelps, let them taste our Dragon Breath! Take to the skies, cover them in flames!” Zhao Hao roared, refusing to be outdone. Hundreds of dragons took flight, blotting out the sun, and spat out a sea of Dragon Breath fire in various colors, all containing terrifying energy, at the advancing Angel Legion! The Black Dragons' acid-shadow breath, the Copper Dragons' scorching flames, the Emerald Dragons' poison mist and thorns... instantly covered a massive area.

However, facing this Dragon Breath attack capable of boiling seas and burning mountains, the Angel Legion's formation didn't break at all. The front-line Angel Warriors shouted in unison, slamming their giant shields into the ground as a solid wall of [Holy Shield] light instantly rose! The Dragon Breath slammed into the light wall, producing violent sizzling sounds as Holy Light and dragon energy fiercely annihilated each other. Although the shields fluctuated wildly and the Angel Warriors were knocked back repeatedly, they actually withstood this first wave of fierce assault! Furthermore, the Cherub Priests' chanting grew louder, and halos of [Holy Hymns] fell upon the Angel Warriors, quickly repairing the shield damage and boosting their strength.

“Holy Light, Judgment!” Michael's icy voice rang out again.

One of the two Archangels who had been standing still slowly raised a giant sword condensed from light, pointing the tip directly at a roaring Black Dragon Elder in the sky. A terrifying rule-based will of locking, judgment, and unquestionable authority descended!

“In the name of the Holy, I decree the target—[Heresy · God-Defying Dragon]!” The Archangel's voice was like thunder. Along with his proclamation, a golden pillar of light, so pure it seemed capable of severing all 'non-holy' existences, erupted from the sword tip. Ignoring spatial distance, it struck that Black Dragon Elder in an instant!

[Divine Judgment] (Archangel-exclusive high-tier divine Spell/rule skill):

Effect 1: Forced Determination. Conducts a holy faction check on the target. If the target is not of the holy faction (or if their faith, ideology, or energy essence conflicts severely with the Holy), they are forcibly determined as 'heresy.'

Effect 2: Judgment Mark. Upon successful determination, leaves a [Divine Judgment] mark on the target. For the duration, all damage the target receives from Angelic Divine Court units receives a massive bonus.

Current bonus magnitude: +200% (based on the caster's Divine Power intensity, Holy Rule completeness, and the target's degree of 'heresy').

Effect 3: Holy Damage. The judgment pillar itself deals massive holy-attribute damage, with a damage-amplification effect against 'heresy' units.

“ROAR—!!!” The Black Dragon Elder struck by the golden pillar of light let out an incredibly shrill scream! Its thick dragon scales, capable of resisting high-intensity magic and physical attacks, were like paper before the holy pillar, instantly pierced and evaporated! The 'holy' rule power within the pillar invaded its body like a lethal poison, frantically destroying its flesh, energy, and even its Soul! Even more terrifying, a clear golden scale mark was branded onto its forehead.

Immediately following, the attacks of all nearby Angel Warriors, Seraph Vanguards, and even Cherub Priests saw their damage skyrocket the moment they landed on this Black Dragon Elder! Holy Light Slashes that could previously only leave shallow marks could now easily slice through dragon scales! Flaming holy swords that previously required several attacks to cause heavy injury could now almost sever a dragon wing in a single strike!

In less than five seconds, this LV49 Black Dragon Elder with extremely tenacious vitality was completely 'purified' into a cloud of scattering light spots under the sky full of intensified holy attacks, leaving not even a single intact dragon bone behind!

An instant kill!

And it was a crushing near-instant kill buffed by the [Divine Judgment] mark!

“What?!” Zhao Hao was dumbfounded, unable to believe his eyes! That Black Dragon Elder was one of his core combatants; how could it be so fragile?

And it wasn't over. The other Archangel's giant sword was also raised, locking onto another Copper Dragon Elder... then a third, a fourth...

[Divine Judgment] was like the Grim Reaper's roll call. Every proclamation was accompanied by the fall of a Dragon Elder! Marked Dragons, even if not immediately focused and killed, became sitting ducks prioritized by all angel units, enduring up to 200% extra damage and unable to hold out for long.

Zhao Hao's Dragon legion, with its proud individual strength and aerial advantage, was completely shattered before this bug-level rule skill, [Divine Judgment]! The sky became a slaughterhouse as dragons fell one by one with agonizing cries, turning into light spots.

“Disperse! Evade! Hide behind the stone monuments!” Zhao Hao's eyes were red as he commanded desperately. The Dragons tried to use the giant stone monuments on [The Wall of Sighs] as cover to avoid being locked on and attacked. However, the Angel Legion's coordination was extremely high. Seraph Vanguard squads flexibly bypassed the monuments to pursue, and the Cherub Priests' Holy Light arrows were like they had eyes, always finding an angle. What made Zhao Hao even more desperate was that the stone monuments occasionally activated, but they released random defensive barriers or Holy Light shocks that sometimes actually helped the Angel Legion!

The battle turned into a one-sided massacre. Although Zhao Hao's Dragons were brave and managed to cause some damage to the Angel Legion (mainly relying on the area coverage of Dragon Breath and the desperate counterattacks of the Dragon Elders, wounding or downing some Angel Warriors and a few Seraphim), it was negligible compared to their own losses.

Twenty minutes later.

In Zhao Hao's [Dragon's Lair] Divine Kingdom, the core Dragon Sleep Mountain was split by a massive crack from a Holy Cross Slash delivered by three Seraph Vanguards working together. The Divine Kingdom's rules began to collapse.

“The first match has ended! Winner: Galactic Royal Academy, 'Holy Radiance' (Michael St. Augustus)!” the System's judgment rang out heartlessly.

Zhao Hao's figure reappeared in the teleportation light, his face pale, his eyes filled with indignation, anger, and a lingering sense of shock. His Divine Kingdom was severely damaged, with over sixty percent of his core followers lost. Especially with the Dragon Elders almost completely wiped out, his Origin Qi was greatly diminished.

“I'm sorry... I...” Zhao Hao returned to the platform, his voice hoarse and his fists clenched.

Vice Dean Wang Zhenyue sighed and patted his shoulder. “It wasn't a failure of skill. His [Divine Judgment] is too lethal a counter against non-holy units. You did your best.”

Su Yueyao and Qin Qing also stepped forward to comfort him. Lin Zhou looked at Zhao Hao's dejected state, then looked at the opposing platform. Michael remained as calm and unruffled as ever, as if he had merely performed a trivial task, and Lin Zhou's eyes turned slightly cold.

“[Divine Judgment]...” Lin Zhou analyzed rapidly in his mind. “Forcibly determining 'heresy' and then applying a massive damage bonus... this isn't just a skill; it's the exercise of a 'right to define' and a 'right to punish' on a rule level. To counter it, one must either possess a 'holy' attribute or a similar 'right to define' themselves, or... make his 'determination' fail or that 'bonus' invalid.”

Losing the first match and trailing 0:1 in the overall score, the power and dominance of the Galactic Royal Academy dealt a heavy blow to Xinghai University.

On the spectator stands, the cheers supporting the Divine Rule surged again. It seemed to validate what Michael had said before the match—before absolute holiness and purity, all 'heresy' is nothing more than fuel waiting to be purified.

The pressure was now entirely on Xinghai University's side.