As soon as the arc of psychic essence entered the Overseer's body, his eyes flared crimson. A second later, his entire form trembled as chaotic waves of psychic corruption surged through him, flooding his body and soul from within.

For a moment, hope ignited in the hearts of those watching from beyond the force wall. Perhaps the True Depravita of Original Sin had finally found a way past the Overseer's impregnable defenses. After all, how could an entity divert something as intangible as psychic essence?

But their hope was short-lived.

The Overseer's spasms ceased abruptly. His body froze, and then the psychic essence within him began to revolve, drawn inward toward his core. The process resembled Redirection, but instead of deflecting an external attack, he was using it to purge and control an invading force inside himself.

Within seconds, all the psychic essence had gathered in his abdomen.

Then the Overseer opened his mouth.

"Aaaaaaeeeeeiiiiii—!"

A piercing, high-pitched shriek erupted, sharp and unnatural, like the cry of a banshee tearing through reality. It wasn't a sound; it was a weapon.

The sonic wave struck Meylin before she could react. Her body convulsed, blood spraying from her eyes, ears, and nose. The mental backlash was immense. The Overseer had twisted her psychic essence and then released it with an amplified force.

Shock and dread filled the hearts of all those watching the battle. Her attack had failed. Worse, it had been turned against her.

But there was no time for pain. The Overseer was already upon her, descending with his weapon raised high.

Meylin bit her tongue, using the pain to jolt back her mind into reality, and she crossed Hell and Abyss, channeling every ounce of her strength into her swords. She braced herself, hoping to block at least part of the strike.

It never came.

The attack was an illusion, a manipulation of the Flow that bent perception and emotion, forcing her mind to see danger where there was none. And with her psyche wounded, she fell for it completely.

The real strike landed an instant later.

The Overseer's weapon cleaved through her waist, splitting her body cleanly in half.

For a heartbeat, Meylin's eyes widened in sheer terror, then instinct took over. The primal dread of death snapped her back to focus. Both halves of her body erupted in a cloud of black fog and reformed in the distance, her form restored.

But the effort came at a cost. The technique consumed a massive portion of her Depravita Aura. If her reserves dropped too low, she would lose her regenerative ability entirely, and one more hit from the Overseer would end her life for good.

She clenched her teeth, tightening her grip on her swords. Even when she faced the Alpha-Omega Overgod Neo-Angel, she had not felt this kind of pressure.

The battle had barely lasted ten seconds, and she had already come within a breath of death.

It wasn't that the Overseer's raw power was insurmountable; physically, his strength remained within the bounds of an exceptionally gifted Middle Archdeity. The nightmare lay in his domain, his absolute versatility and mastery over the Flow. He could deploy endless, unique abilities, shifting from one Aspect to another faster than any mind could follow.

And unlike the Crimson Exarch, Meylin could not adapt in time.

It was clear now: the only way to challenge the Overseer was through divine mastery of the Flow, and the ability to adapt instantly to anything he unleashed.

Meylin didn't delude herself into thinking she could win. But the longer she endured, the more information Cain would gain, and that made every second worthwhile.

She steadied her breathing, eyes blazing, and launched herself back into the fray.

Thirty-nine seconds later, Meylin's body was hurled through the force wall.

She collapsed to the ground, her aura flickering weakly. Her wounds were deep, her Depravita Aura nearly spent, and she could no longer regenerate.

A hand touched her back.

Cain.

A rush of dark-crimson energy surged through her as he infused her with his own Depravita Aura and the life force drawn from the Scarlet Throne. Meylin's body stabilized, her breathing easing.

Cain offered her a faint smile. "You did well."

She hadn't lasted long, but her effort had not been in vain. Cain had learned something critical: how the Overseer responded to corruption-based attacks.

He rose, turning his gaze toward the trio from the Freedom Path.

Braldy and Ana both frowned. Neither saw any point in continuing the challenge. After witnessing the Overseer's power twice, they had to admit that the entity stood beyond their tier, and there was no way they could win.

To fight it now would only benefit the Scarlet King, draining their strength and leaving them wounded. Worse, a single mistake could mean death. Unlike the True Depravitas, if their bodies were split apart, they would not return.

Logic dictated retreat.

Then, a calm voice broke the silence.

"Ana, go. Do your best."

It was the Crimson Exarch, still seated in meditation, his tone unwavering. His bandaged eyes turned slightly toward the woman with the sword and shield.

Ana stared at him for a moment, then nodded. Without a word, she stepped toward the Overseer.

As before, the force wall manifested, isolating her from the others. The Overseer's energy adjusted instantly to match her cultivation, Peak Archdeity.

The battle began.

From the very first exchange, it was clear Ana's approach differed completely from Meylin's. She focused on defense, using her shield and precise control over Unity to absorb the Overseer's blows rather than counter them.

Every strike from the entity shook the arena, yet Ana endured, redirecting force after force, her shield glowing brighter with each impact.

Thanks to her sole focus on defense, the woman was able to last a considerable amount of time.

Finally, after four relentless minutes, Ana was blasted backward through the wall of force. She hit the ground hard, blood streaking her armor. Her shield was split in half, her sword cracked, but she was alive and without life-threatening injuries.

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