Marvel's master of cosmic magic-Chapter 819

"No," Rowan said lightly. "Wait until Amon finishes his ascension. Then you return."

Roselle froze.

That was not what they had agreed on.

Originally, Rowan had insisted Roselle delay his resurrection because Eternal Blazing Sun and the God of Steam and Machinery would almost certainly interfere. The plan had been simple. When George Augustus III completed his ascension as Black Emperor, the world would assume George had succeeded. Only a handful of beings would realize the truth. Any resistance would be limited to Amon, Adam, and a few extraordinary figures from the royal family.

Against Rowan’s true strength, that level of opposition meant nothing.

Now, however, Amon and Grisha were already locked in battle with the Loen royals.

Better still, Grisha’s displayed power clearly exceeded that of a normal high-tier existence.

If Roselle returned now, shattered Amon’s ritual, and forced his failure, Rowan’s side would field two true gods against one.

A guaranteed advantage.

Yet Rowan was refusing.

"If Amon completes his ascension," Roselle said slowly, "you’ll be facing two true gods."

Rowan smiled.

"My strength’s grown again these past few days. Two true gods won’t be a problem. Besides... I’m curious to see what an ascension through the Error path actually looks like."

He paused, then added casually:

"To me, Amon before ascension and Amon after ascension are the same thing."

"A small ant versus a slightly larger ant."

Roselle studied Rowan’s calm expression, then nodded.

"All right."

Inside the mausoleum, William Augustus I and his allies were still trapped within the Cathedral of Bones, unable to break free.

Amon stepped into George Augustus III’s ritual.

The ceremony twisted.

George let out a single, broken scream before losing control entirely.

His body detonated into gore.

From the ruins spilled a crown-shaped authority and a cascade of extraordinary essences.

Amon gathered them all.

The ritual completed.

Divinity settled.

Amon became a true god.

"Well done," Rowan said, his voice echoing through the chamber.

He and Roselle emerged from concealment.

"Hand over the unique authorities and the high-tier essences you’re carrying," Rowan continued. "Do that, and I’ll let you leave alive."

Amon stared.

Not because Rowan had appeared.

But because Rowan had waited until after the ascension.

"I expected you to strike during my ritual," Amon said. "Not after."

Rowan shrugged.

"It wouldn’t have changed anything."

He turned his head.

"Roselle. You can take back what’s yours now. I’ll handle the conversation."

"Be careful," Roselle said.

He raised his hand.

The authority of the Black Emperor surged.

A crown of darkness vanished from Amon’s grasp and reappeared above Roselle’s head.

Three high-tier essences followed, flying into Roselle’s control.

Grisha did not attempt to stop it.

Instead, he poured his full power into reinforcing the Cathedral of Bones around Rowan.

Because Roselle was not their primary target.

Rowan was.

He carried within him multiple unique authorities and rare essences that both Grisha and Amon desperately needed.

This operation had two objectives.

First, elevate Amon. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Second, hunt Rowan Mercer.

Everything else was secondary.

Amon glanced toward Roselle and adjusted his monocle.

"Before you finish coming back," he said mildly, "why not greet your old friends?"

The mausoleum ceiling shattered.

Two colossal beams of power crashed down.

One burned like a miniature sun, radiating unbearable heat.

The other was pale, colorless, and strangely intangible, capable of reducing matter into fundamental particles.

Eternal Blazing Sun.

God of Steam and Machinery.

They could not allow Roselle to return.

They had once killed him.

If he revived, revenge was inevitable.

And as the former emperor of the Intis Republic, Roselle still possessed enormous influence.

His resurrection would destabilize their faith bases.

Rowan snapped his fingers.

A translucent barrier rose around Roselle.

Both attacks dissolved on contact.

Rowan tilted his head.

"So you’ve decided to show yourselves too."

Inside the Cathedral of Bones, Rowan rubbed his chin.

"If I’m going to expose my strength anyway..."

His gaze sharpened.

"Then I might as well clean up everything today."

If Eternal Blazing Sun and the God of Steam and Machinery were forced back or killed, the ancient barrier protecting Earth would weaken.

The Goddess of Night would soon be hunting the God of War.

Three true gods falling in rapid succession would destabilize the world’s remaining safeguards.

Which meant the apocalypse would arrive early.

Rowan considered it, then smiled faintly.

"So be it."

He would wipe out the outer gods as well.

Claim all primordial essence.

And devour this world whole.

One condition remained.

He could not display power beyond the outer-god threshold.

Not yet.

If he did...

Those ancient horrors might flee.

And Rowan preferred his prey exactly where it was.