359 The Gift of Life (1/2)

The symphony of predestination instantly solidified and transformed into a cold star, practically leading the stars outside the Dark Atrium to move. The starlight was murderous and the twelve constellations rotated unstably. One could faintly see music notes surging and a grand melody shooting out. There seemed to be a muddled world within the glow of starlight. The Originator opened and all organisms began growing. The sight was splendid and dazzling.

This was the amazing miracle in Akasha's Book created by countless Recorders who wove music theory through the centuries. Now, it was called forth, bringing strong murderous intent.

Then the music score stopped abruptly, shattering.

Crowley reached out. His figure went past the star map and pressed onto Koch's neck, raising him slowly. The explosive starlight fell on him and was swallowed by something, disappearing without a trace. This was the artifact weapon that fallen saint Paganini had made from Crowley's body and instrument—the Garment of Original Sin.

Back then, Paganini's heart was captured by the abyss due to his greed for power and the Originator. He had sealed the secret of the abyss into his instrument, thinking that he would not be tainted by it. However, the listeners would see a demonic shadow when he played the instrument.

His appearance looked normal but the abyss had already devoured his insides. When he joined the natural catastrophes, his body and instrument had practically become the abyss's physical incarnate on earth and led to the gates of hell.

He had transformed his body into a fallen instrument. Those who wore this garment would be wrapped in the abyss and supported by the natural catastrophe. One must have a killing artifact of the same caliber to penetrate it. Though the Recorders had passed Akasha's Book down the generations, it was still not used for killing and could not penetrate the garment's defense.

The power of the Garment of Original Sin immediately counterattacked. Layers of black aura seeped into Grandmaster Koch's face, moving under his skin like a snake menacingly. The darkness was eroding him.

”Do not struggle.” Crowley gripped Koch's neck and looked down with a cheerful smile. ”You must know that there is a grand future in the abyss.”

Koch raised his head with difficulty. Staring with his bloodshot eyes, he suddenly laughed. ”It was hard to have you come closer… Then, as you wish.”

Crowley's expression changed.

Koch surrendered and allowed the power of the Garment to taint him, transforming him into a dependent of the abyss. However, his symphony of predestination on Akasha's Book still in his hands quickly moved and released explosive starlight. In the gales, the book recorded by countless musicians from different schools slowly opened and flipped to the last page. There were only eight words on that page: The stars will fall. The world will end.

Printed with Koch's symphony of predestination, it now contained his scepter. Now, the prediction of the world's ending had arrived. Boundless starlight shot from the page and swept toward Crowley who was so close by.

Koch had ignited his scepter so Crowley could die with him!

The School of Revelations had always lacked the power to kill. It was the same for grandmasters such as Koch. The best way to use his shortcoming was to be decisive, even if it was deadly to himself.

Burning light instantly swept through the sky, engulfing Crowley. Even with the Garment's protection, he was still gravely injured at once. Half of his body was burnt to crisp, turned into a torch by Koch's self-sacrificing attack. His symphony of predestination was also damaged. The Dark Atrium that covered Romulus shook.

Koch, burnt to crisp, fell from the clouds amongst the blazing light. The burning Akasha's Book flipped in the wind, recording the life of the last user and burnt away with him.

Grandmaster Koch, the second clerk of the Sacred City Parliament, passed away.

-

In the sky, Crowley's expression was dark. His burnt face twitched.

The shaking from Koch's self-destruction of his scepter had caused the Dark Atrium, Crowley's scepter that had sealed Romulus, to practically break apart completely. The one attack had stirred the music theory. Even the general structure had become slightly warped.

If he could not fix it, he would not be able to maintain the Dark Atrium's lock. Not only had the self-destructive attack created a big problem for Crowley, it also revealed his arrival to the other musicians. Even worse, these were all the small details. Koch had actually wanted to create a hole in the Dark Atrium, break through the lock, enter the aether world, and transform into a lighthouse to warn the Sacred City.

Thankfully, the Garment of Original Sin had sealed the last beam of energy. Otherwise, the problem would be worse.