On Merka's side, after a few tentative magical exchanges, neither side gained any advantage.
Merka didn't get her hands on the Mechanical Descender, and Oedipus failed to destroy it. They stood around the Mechanical Descender, positioned on the left and right sides.
"Why are you being so hesitant?"
"With a man like you, I can't trust you to take care of my daughter."
Oedipus smiled and remarked.
Little did she know, in order to avoid being distracted by her words, Merka had already used magic to block her own ears.
Now all he could hear were muffled words from Oedipus, unable to make out what she was saying.
...
It's impossible to break through Oedipus's blockade without using the teleporter directly to get the Mechanical Descender.
Merka slightly lowered his silhouette, peeking through his bangs in Oedipus's direction, feeling helpless.
But if I use the teleporter directly to get the Mechanical Descender, I won't have any magic left to use the teleporter for the next tens of minutes after getting the Mechanical Descender.
During this time... if Oedipus catches me, I won't even have a chance to escape.
However, if on the contrary... as long as I get the Mechanical Descender without relying on the teleporter, I can use it to send the Mechanical Descender directly into Oedipus, ending the battle in an instant.
That way, I win.
A drop of cold sweat dripped from Merka's forehead as he looked at Oedipus's smiling yet unreadable face, causing his heart to skip a beat and deepening his frown.
Nevertheless, the latter seemed to have a higher chance of success.
Let's take the risk!
"Scatter and escape, the flock of sheep in the sky!"
Merka cast a spell with one hand, chanting, and a billowing smoke surged out from the hem of his robe towards Oedipus.
Three figures, each surrounded by a blue electric arc, rushed out from the mist at lightning speed, heading in different directions towards Oedipus.
One held a twisted magic staff, one wore George's relic, and one held the shepherd's relic, all starting their spellcasting.
"Good Shepherd!"
"TOKAMAK Ring-shaped Model • Thermal Nuclear Cuts!"
Facing the continuous waves of heat from the left and the energy-packed fireball from the right, Oedipus directly faced the two blue clones that Merka sent first, raised his hand calmly, and softly uttered a long-unheard line.
"Volcanic Mode…!"
Instantly, golden patterns erupted on every inch of Oedipus's skin, intricate runes embedded in his muscles, akin to lava coursing through cracks in rocks, containing countless explosive and impacting forces.
The two clone bodies attacked from both sides, but their impact, meant to be devastating, felt like hitting a solid iron mountain instead.
After a metallic clash, two intense flames erupted on Oedipus’s body surface - though they only made him a bit redder, they caused no harm.
Good... he’s using the Volcanic Mode, which means he can't use magic for the time being!
Merka thought, then shouted loudly.
"Truth... Reversal of All Things!"
Three chains shot out from the smoke, fiercely flying towards Oedipus.
At the same time, Merka's third clone holding the twisted magic staff was in position, raising it high and locking Oedipus firmly in place with an intent that had been present since the last attack.
Oedipus's expression turned earnest; she tried to shake off the two clones beside her but found them sticking to her like glue, preventing her from escaping.
The situation now was that if Oedipus used the backdrop to dodge The Sea-divider, she would be hit by the teleporter, and if she dodged the teleporter with the backdrop, she would be hit by The Sea-divider.
It seemed like a deadlock... but to Merka's astonishment, Oedipus cracked it in just a moment.
Oedipus directly tore off her own arm, freeing herself from the two clones' constraints. Dozens of terrifying tentacles, controlled by her, sprang from the gap in her arm, and she used them to attack the clone holding the twisted magic staff.
Each tentacle held a flaming spear, swiftly striking the clone, turning it into a sieve, breaking its spell-casting, and reclaiming the staff it held.
Furthermore, Oedipus gently waved, erecting a massive rocky wall that blocked the dangerous chains from entering.
"What...? How could this be!?"
"You can't use magic during the Volcanic Mode, right?"
Merka walked out of the dissipating smoke, incredulously questioning.
"Sorry, I just made up the Volcanic Mode and the patterns using the backdrop to deceive you."
"I don’t need to go through all that trouble to deal with you."
Oedipus lightly laughed, seemingly aware of all of Merka's moves.
"When we fought earlier, I already read your memories. I know that your teleporter can only be used once every ten minutes."
"Unfortunately, you were just deceived by me and missed the only opportunity to use it."
"Now, even the twisted magic staff, and George's and their relics, are in my possession."
"You don't stand a chance of making it to the next ten minutes."
Oedipus held Merka's twisted magic staff, grew tentacles from her body, and gathered all the relics from Merka's clones, firmly grasping them.
Now, Merka was left with only three relics.
"Is that so...?"
Merka murmured thoughtfully.
"But look at this, what do you see?"
Merka, sweaty and dusty, but with a faint smile on his face, presented the Mechanical Descender in his hand, holding it perfectly in front of Oedipus.
Evidently, the smoke from Merka not only helped his clones break through Oedipus's defense but also helped Merka secretly obtain the Mechanical Descender.
"As long as I stab this into you, I believe even a godlike being like you will perish."
"And... didn't you just use the backdrop to deceive me? Within seconds, you won't have any illusions to counter the impending attack."
Merka smiled.
Facing the Mechanical Descender Merka held, Oedipus remained calm, showing no signs of panicking.
"So what? With your current power, you can't even touch me even with the Mechanical Descender in your hands."
"With the little magic you have left, what else can you do?"
Faced with Oedipus's confident tone, Merka just smiled and shook his head.
"Unfortunately... the fact is, you're not the only one who can deceive others."
"Take a closer look; what were those three iron chains just now?"
"What...?"
Oedipus removed the rocky wall, leaned forward, and saw three broken chains made of rock, not the lavender iron links symbolizing wormholes.
"You... didn't use the teleporter just now?"
Oedipus finally showed emotion, her voice filled with astonishment.
"General, my dear mother-in-law."
"To hell, to atone for the sacrifices of the people of Boshen."
Merka raised his hand slightly, instantly summoning three lavender chains. They wrapped around the Mechanical Descender in his hand, rolling around like small snakes in Merka's hand.
