Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 1534 Infernal Temporal Stride

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Date- 13 April 2321

Time- 9:52

Location- Southern Region, Southern Capital

The moment Wyatt's powerful fist connected with Belphegor's astonished face, the devil was propelled rearward. Yet, he swiftly reclaimed control over his body compelling it to an abrupt halt, and stood suspended in mid-air.

Noticing that Wyatt's punch didn't pack the same punch as before, Belphegor stared at Wyatt with a blend of surprise and puzzlement. He was surprised because Wyatt seemed unfazed while moving through the tricky temporal quicksand, and he was puzzled because he was certain Wyatt had put all his strength into the punch, yet it didn't measure up to the earlier blow that had broken his tusks. 

However, Belphegor didn't dwell further on the fact that Wyatt's punch wasn't potent as earlier, as his focus was entirely consumed by the realization that his two prominent time-rule-based attacks, which had successfully taken down around 8 demigods before, were now proving ineffective against Wyatt. 

Belphegor had a sense that his time rule mastery wasn't merely falling short against Wyatt; it was like they held no sway over him. This feeling intensified when he witnessed Wyatt effortlessly walking through his temporal quicksand skill.

The only individuals Belphegor recognized as capable of such feats were major players within the Dark realm and adherents of the Devil Merchant Code. Thus, he couldn't help but speculate whether one of those figures was the patrons whose power Wyatt was currently harnessing. If this turned out to be true, Belphegor knew it was going to be a struggle for him to cleanse the stain off of his pride.

If those entities were ready to grant Wyatt such a significant portion of their power, it implied that what Wyatt had offered them in exchange for borrowing that power held immense value. Belphegor sincerely wished that Wyatt's soul wasn't included in the deal. If it turned out otherwise, his quest for revenge would remain unfinished, even if he was the one responsible for Wyatt's miserable end. 

"Listen closely, you arrogant bastard. I have decided. Regardless of whom you have sold your soul to once I'm done killing you, I am willing to sacrifice a piece of my own existence just to seal your soul right back into your lifeless body just so that I can subject you to all the torment that the myriad realms have to offer," Worried by the secret behind how and what Wyatt had exchanged for his current might, Belphegor resolutely chose to sacrifice a fraction of his own life intending to seal Wyatt's soul in a way that prevented it from fulfilling whatever pact Wyatt had struck to obtain his present power.

"You pig bastard, have as many wet dreams in that pork brain of yours as you want but. Ugh!" Wyatt said in disgust and his eyes conveyed the same to the Belphegor. 

"You despicable swine, indulge in your perverse fantasies within that pork brain of yours all you desire but keep me out of them. Ugh!" Wyatt spat out in revulsion as he gazed at Belphegor in disgust. 

Wyatt's disgust-filled gaze provoked Belphegor into a thunderous roar as he invoked one of his abilities, bellowing its name, "Infernal Temporal Stride!" In the blink of an eye, Belphegor disappeared from his initial spot, his figure was nowhere to be seen. 

As Belphegor triggered yet another of his time-infused skills, Wyatt remained composed, suspended in mid-air, unwaveringly anticipating Belphegor's move. In a matter of seconds, six floating humanoid arms materialized behind Wyatt, seamlessly joining together to form a protective barrier. This arms shield materialized just in time to intercept Belphegor's surprise punch, which had seemingly materialized out of thin air behind him. 

What was more noticeable was the fact that, upon his reappearance, Belphegor's stature had expanded drastically, stretching from a previous 9 feet to an imposing 21 feet. Notably, even the hourglass relic fastened to his back, and the golden chain adorning him had enlarged proportionally to accommodate Belphegor's new stature. 

Once more, Belphegor stood in sheer bewilderment as he witnessed Wyatt successfully intercepting his punch. Yet, what truly unsettled him was the inexplicable suction force that seized his fist upon contact with Wyatt's floating arms, which had joined together to form a protective barrier on Wyatt's back. Upon the impact of his fist with Wyatt's arms Belphegor felt as though these arms had drained every ounce of power from his blow, causing it to come to an abrupt halt. 

Belphegor had noticed this previously when he had attacked Wyatt but was easily blocked and countered by him. In the heat of the movement and clouded his rage Belphegor had neglected it but seeing the same repeat itself, he made note of it feeling that Wyatt was using a troublesome ability. 

"Your ability to halt this time-rule-based attack indicates it's not Baal bestowing you with his might. Yet, the enigmatic pull in your grasp bears a semblance to Beelzebub's power. Did you strike a deal with that insatiable wretch and offer up your soul to him?" Believing that Wyatt had harnessed power from one of his adversaries, Belphegor resolved to employ tactics he had used against them in his confrontation with Wyatt. Observing the failure of the Infernal Temporal Stride against Wyatt, he crossed Baal off the list of potential devils aiding Wyatt. 

"Is that pathetic display supposed to be an attack? Your mind must be truly stuffed with pork, you wretched pig!" Wyatt's voice thundered. Simultaneously, one of his suspended fists materialized above Belphegor's head, delivering a powerful blow that sent him hurtling down, crashing into the ground below. 

Belphegor's employment of the Infernal Temporal Stride skill resembled his utilization of the Chian whips. Instead of channeling power into the chain whips, he was infusing his physical body with the time rule power. However, upon entering the tertiary time flow, Belphegor refrained from immediately launching an assault on Wyatt. Instead, he maneuvered around Wyatt in a circular manner for a full minute, which was equal to a second in secondary time flow, before striking him from behind. Wyatt found himself pondering the reason behind Belphegor's choice to adopt this approach rather than directly engaging him.

Based on Belphegor's words, it seemed that he had effectively deployed a comparable maneuver against a Devil named Baal. The success could have stemmed from Baal's utilization of a specific artifact, relic, or tactic to counter Belphegor's time rule mastery. Otherwise, Wyatt could think of a possibility where such an attack could prove effective against an adept in the time rule.