Chapter 241: Clash of Ideals

While the fight against the first Monarch had proven surprisingly easy, the towering giant found itself struggling to beat the second Monarch.

“You will pay for killing my brother!” The alien bellowed, pouncing with killing intent.

[It seems that fighting with nearly dry reserves of spiritual energy is harder than I calculated.]

The AI mused, due to the lack of power, it was unable to use its gigantic cannon that had massively aided it in the first battle. Still, it was going to win even if it was forced to use only its fists.

Debris was hurled outwards in every direction amidst the battle between the two behemoths.

Receiving a severe hit, the robot staggered backwards.

[Why are you aliens and humans so alike? All you are doing is delaying the inevitable. No matter, once I kill you and attain the soul of that dead man, nothing will dare stand against me.]

Getting ready to retaliate, the robot was moments away from moving. That was until its sensors picked up wicked laughter coming from behind.

“HAHAHA!”

[!!!]

Abruptly turning, the AI witnessed Michael. The way he casually floated above the molten lava, his head lifted to the sky as he laughed wholeheartedly.

Even more alarming, the monstrous aura he was giving off was several times more intense than before!

As his laughter slowly faded, his gaze fixed on the towering giant, eyes burning with unmistakable bloodlust.

“Did you think you can kill me?!”

Remembering the devastation the machine had caused in Magmorious and the millions of humans it had slaughtered fueled Michael’s anger even further. In an instant, he activated Dash, increasing his already enhanced speed several times over as he charged fearlessly, hell-bent on reducing the machine to rubble.

With strides so staggeringly fast that he did not even cause ripples in the lava beneath his feet, he left the AI with only a few seconds to consider its next course of action.

[Preposterous! I am certain my fist connected cleanly! There is no way a human can survive an impact like that!]

The sentient AI bellowed. Despite the countless analyses of cultivators, it had never witnessed a human advance through so many stages of cultivation in such a short time.

Every time it looked at Michael through its lens, it was like everything it knew about humanity as a whole was flipped on its head!

One thing became painfully clear:

Michael was dangerous. With the power to damage the AI’s network, he became the greatest obstacle the machine had to overcome to claim true supremacy and establish itself as the perfect form of existence.

[Fine then! Let me show you that I truly stand at the pinnacle of all life!]

Eager to meet Michael head-on, the robot tilted its body in his direction, ready to unleash every bit of power it wielded.

Meanwhile, the bleeding Monarch was left speechless. This was the greatest insult in all of its life! Its opponent, which had pushed it to the brink of death, completely disregarded it, turning its back to a more worthy foe.

“You dare turn your back on me?! I will make sure you regret it!”

Losing its senses in fury, the alien was about to leap on the robot with no form of self-preservation.

However, before it could, a stern feminine voice that carried undeniable authority halted it in place.

“I will be your opponent.”

Shifting its head toward the source of the sound, the Monarch’s eyes narrowed as it witnessed a woman with vivid crimson hair, rivaled only by the intensity of her crimson eyes.

The surging power radiating from her mesmerizing figure, along with the trail of destruction she had carved from the capital to the lava lake, made it immediately apparent why the Lords had felt such primal fear in the presence of a Supreme Lord like her.

“A woman, a mere human, dares to order me around?! I will enjoy your agonizing screams as I skin you alive!”

Enraged, the Monarch disregarded the AI altogether, deeming the woman’s insult more humiliating as it attacked, focused on tearing her apart.

Back at Michael, a colossal shade fell over him as the towering giant went deeper into the lake.

Its obstructed legs reached the shallow bottom, its upper body visible as it loomed high above the molten lake and Michael like a mighty god before an ant.

[HUMAN!]

With all of its reserves drained, the machine switched to close combat confrontation. The palm on its left arm curled into a fist, punching with speed that even Lords would have trouble perceiving.

Under normal circumstances, every sane person would have done their absolutely best to ensure that strike wouldn’t connect.

Yet Michael had other plans. With the blow he had received from the machine earlier, he had been forced to relive one of his most painful memories. His goal was not merely to defeat the robot, it was to extinguish every last spark of ambition the metallic being held.

That was why, rather than moving out of the way, a menacing smile tugged at his face. His eyes, aided by Parallel Sight, effortlessly made out the house-sized limb flying at him.

“Show me your so-called perfection!”

Unfazed, he swung his right arm, sending massive waves of lava surging from the sheer force he commanded.

BOOM!

A deafening rung echoed across the vicinity, both Michael and the robot staggering backward.

In pure disbelief, the sentient AI stared at Michael’s now bleeding arm, which had somehow managed to match its blow!

[Matching me once does not mean you can keep at it!]

An emotion akin to anger began to build in the depths of the AI, retaliating with its other limb.

In turn, Michael’s grin grew more frenzied. What the AI had no way of knowing was that his technique, Warlock, didn’t just make him stronger. Each injury he sustained made him tougher and more unpredictable.

Of course, it didn’t in any way, shape, or form soothe his pain.

However, as long as it was only pain, Michael was never going to stop.

[PERISH!]

BOOM!

Upon the second contact, both of them stood their ground.

[I refuse to lose against an imperfect human!]

“Is that what your perfection amounts to?!”

With both parties unwilling to surrender, they began rapid exchange of blows.

Slowly the lava lake seemed to crumble under their merciless clash.

For every injury Michael’s hands sustained, cracks began to spread across the sentient AI’s arms.

If things continued like this, the AI was going to lose.

[A mere thorn to my plans! I don’t care anymore, just die!]

Changing strategies, the colossal arms of the giant spread, gripping a handful of the nearby rocks before it hurled them with the same intensity as meteors.

Its plan was simple. The AI knew Michael could dodge anything it threw at him, so it decided to use that against him. By carefully controlling where it launched the debris, it could guide Michael to exactly where it wanted.

However, by the dangerous glint in Michael’s gaze, it was made apparent he harbored no intention of playing on the whims of his enemy.

The AI’s sensors narrowed in shock as he leapt, arms shooting forward and hands clasping together.

Just as he reached the molten liquid, he deliberately restrained his Psychokinesis technique and vanished from sight…

Diving headfirst into the searing lava.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep