๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐! ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐! ๐ฝ๐ค๐ค๐ข...!!
The roar of battle echoed through every corner of the city, creating a deafening symphony of destruction.
Chen Ye moved nimbly, holding Yozakura Tsubomi's tiny body tightly in his arms while dodging every deadly attack that rained down from all directions.
His sharp eyes flashed red as he activated Flame of Abyssโblack-purple flames that blazed fiercely, scorching the air until it created heat distortion.
With firm resolve, he plunged into the crowd of enemies blocking his path!
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
The uncontrolled tongues of abyssal fire spread like living creatures, devouring every enemy who dared come near.
The flames swirled around Chen Ye, creating a terrifying protective ring.
But even though dozens of enemies had been burned to ash, they kept coming like an endless tide.
'Shit! They're like cockroaches that never run out!'
Chen Ye cursed inwardly, cold sweat running down his temples.
His expression turned grim and frustrated.
He had followed every one of Yozakura Tsubomi's directions carefully, even taking hidden shortcuts, but the problem wasโno matter which route they choseโthe enemy always seemed to know exactly where they were!
As though invisible spies were constantly watching their every step.
If not for the occasional help from Yozakura Tsubomi, who calmly controlled strange tree roots that suddenly burst from underground to ensnare and crush the enemy, Chen Ye was sure they would have been captured long ago!
Fortunately, they were beginning to approach the destination Yozakura Tsubomi had mentioned.
But unfortunately...
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
A dazzling purple explosion suddenly erupted right in front of them, forcing Chen Ye to leap backward while shielding Yozakura Tsubomi with his own body!
"Damn it!"
Chen Ye got up at once, panting, cold sweat drenching his whole body.
The sight before him made his heart stop for a moment.
Over a dozen black-clad assassins and dozens of Hunters stood blocking the way with cold smiles on their faces.
Even more terrifyingโthree of them radiated an aura that could not be underestimated, an aura equal to a Rank S Hunter!
From the dark uniforms they wore, there was no doubt they were elite Rank S Hunters of the mysterious Black Mamba organization!
"We won't ask a second time," said one of the Rank S Hunters in a cold voice that pierced to the bone.
A thin smile curled on his pale lips. "Hand over the girl in your arms. Oh, and you must come with us too. After all, you are connected to the Sword King."
Chen Ye drew a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs.
His voice sounded cold and threatening as he saidโฆ
"Have you no shame? Attacking us in a group like this. Where is a Hunter's pride?"
"A useless provocation, boy," the Hunter chuckled disdainfully. "Just hand overโ"
๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐!!
His words were cut off as a scythe slash wrapped in Flame of Abyss suddenly shot from Chen Ye's hand!
The black-purple fire swirled, creating a terrifying fire tornado!
They were all forced to dodge in haste, but a slash already cloaked in Flame of Abyss was not easy to evade completely.
Several unlucky Rank C and B Hunters were dragged into the whirlwind of fire and burned alive, their screams of pain filling the night air!
"Damn brat!" The expressions of several Rank S Hunters turned to rage and hatred.
"All of you, attack him now!"
They rushed at Chen Ye at full speed, various weapons and abilities ready to be unleashed to cripple the young man!
Chen Ye felt his heart pound as the distance between him and the enemy closed.
Cold sweat poured down his back.
But at that very critical moment...
"<<๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ค๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ๐ค๐ฒ๐ฎ... ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐ข ๐ง๐จ ๐ค๐๐ญ๐: ๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ก๐๐ง - ๐๐๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฎ>>"
A calm yet authoritative man's voice echoed in the night air.
At the same time, they all witnessed an astonishing sightโฆ
Hundreds of curved purple slashes appeared and spread in every direction like dancing crescent moons!
If they had been ordinary slashes, they might still have been able to withstand them easily.
But the problem was, none of these slashes were ordinary!
For some reason, each slash gradually grew larger and spun, until they created a whirlwind of giant crescent blades moving in every direction around Chen Ye!
๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐!
The whirlwind moved as if it had a life of its own, protecting Chen Ye while shredding the enemies near the young man.
Fresh blood splattered everywhere, creating a horrifying red rain.
The unlucky ones were killed instantly with their bodies cut to pieces, while the others suffered severe physical mutilation, such as losing arms or legs.
"L-Lord Kokushiboโ"
Chen Ye stammered, his eyes wide at the tall figure that had suddenly appeared.
"Go. I will clear this area," said Kokushibo in a flat voice, his back to Chen Ye.
His six strange eyes flashed with an eerie light.
Chen Ye felt a little reluctant to leave Kokushibo alone, but he also understood his priorities well.
Besides... he wasn't sure he could win against a Rank S Hunter in this condition!
Without wasting more time, he hurried away carrying Tsubomi.
At that moment, several sharp daggers were thrown at him at high speedโfortunately all of those attacks were immediately deflected by Kokushibo, creating dazzling sparks!
Not stopping there, Kokushibo then sensed a deadly danger coming from behind him.
His six eyes flickered for a moment, thenโ
๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐๐๐ผ๐๐! ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐!
โa fierce battle broke out again with an intensity far more terrifying!
Despite the massive battle raging behind him, creating explosion after explosion, Chen Ye did not dare look back at all.
He knew full well that a single second of hesitation could mean death.
Fully focused, he leapt from one rooftop to another with movements as agile as a cat.
But it turned out to be a wrong decision, because he saw several black-clad assassins moving like ninja launching deadly daggers at him!
At that critical moment, a red-haired, red-eyed girl suddenly appeared like lightning, swinging the gleaming katana in her hand with an elegant yet deadly motion!
If Kokushibo's arrival was like a god of war descending from the moon to help them, then this girl was like an elegant yet terrifying moon goddess descended to earth specifically to save Chen Ye!
The assassins clearly had not expected the girl's sudden appearance, and they were stunned for a moment with wide eyes.
Their expressions instantly turned to deep fear as the girl began cutting them all down one by one with her sharp katana, at a speed the naked eye could hardly follow!
๐๐ก๐๐จ๐! ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐! ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐!
Tsukuyomi Tsukasa moved with deadly grace.
Although her white yukata was already drenched in bloodโwhether her own or her enemies'โand blood splatters stained her beautiful face, it did not change her calm, cold expression in the slightest!
But one of the enemies, moving at high speed, managed to sever her arm!
Just as the enemies felt pleased and certain they had crippled the dangerous girl, their expressions turned to deep horror as they saw Tsukasa's severed arm suddenly reattach itself to its original place perfectly!
"Whaโ"
One of them was stunned, mouth hanging open, then was cut down mercilessly by Tsukuyomi Tsukasa before he could finish his words!
It wasn't only they who were shocked by that absurd instant regeneration ability; even Chen Ye was greatly startled and could hardly believe what he had just seen!
But one of the more experienced enemies suddenly recognized Tsukuyomi Tsukasa's identity and shouted with maddened excitement.
"That's the Yozakura Family member whose flesh can make us immortal! Everyone, capture that girl alive!"
Everyone who heard the shout was at first shocked, then their expressions turned to a horrifying greed.
Without fear any longer, they charged at Tsukasa with eyes glinting with lust!
There was no more fear like before.
They truly attacked Tsukuyomi Tsukasa brutally and without mercy!
After all, as long as they succeeded in eating her flesh, they would surely obtain the eternal life they had long dreamed of!
Chen Ye could hardly believe what he had just heard.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
So this was the reason Tsukuyomi Tsukasa had been able to join the Yozakura Family?! Her body had an extraordinary ability that could grant immortality?!
Facing the brutal attacks of people who no longer feared death because of the lure of immortality, even Tsukuyomi Tsukasa, who always fought relying on her regeneration, began to be slowly overwhelmed!
Butโthe enemies seemed to forget that although the Yozakura Family had few members, they never fought alone.
"<<๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ ๐ข - ๐๐๐ง๐ค๐จ๐ณ๐๐ง (๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐ - ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ก)>>!!"
A high-speed silhouette like white lightning passed among them all at a speed almost invisible to the eye.
A moment later, except for Chen Ye and Tsukuyomi Tsukasa, all the attacking enemies were suddenly cut in two or had their heads severed simultaneously!
All the neatly cut bodies collapsed to the ground, creating a sea of blood pooling in the streets.
Tsukuyomi Tsukasa blinked for a moment at the sight, then sighed deeply. "Thank you, Flash."
"No problem," Flashy Flash replied as he cleaned his blood-soaked sword.
"Besides... the fight is far from over."
Flashy Flash narrowed his eyes sharply.
Tsukuyomi Tsukasa and Chen Ye followed his gaze with a bad feeling.
Not far from their location, a heart-stopping sight was laid outโfive Rank S Hunters with threatening auras, twenty battle-ready Rank A Hunters, eighty Rank B Hunters with weapons drawn, and hundreds of lower-ranked Hunters emerging from various directions...
They all stared at the three with glinting eyes, particularly at Tsukuyomi Tsukasa with a terrifying desire and greed.
It seemed word of Tsukuyomi Tsukasa's extraordinary ability to grant immortality had spread widely, so they preferred to target the girl over their original targets...
Chen Ye's expression turned very heavy at the nearly impossible situation.
But suddenly his body was lifted without warning!
"Huh?! What are you doing?!"
Chen Ye shouted in panic, looking at Flashy Flash, who lifted him by the nape of his neck as easily as lifting a cat. Especially seeing Flash's posture, as though he intended to throw him!
"Your talent is good, but your ability in speed is still very poor," said Flashy Flash in a flat tone.
"So we can only do this. Remember wellโdon't let the Family Head get hurt even a little, or... you'll die in a very painful way."
"Y-you're crazy! Don't tell me you're going toโ"
Unfortunately, Flashy Flash did not want to hear his protests and, without hesitation, hurled the young man into the air with full force!
The speed of the throw was so tremendous that it created an ear-splitting sonic boom!
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐!
At the same moment as the boom, the Hunter army immediately attacked Tsukuyomi Tsukasa and Flashy Flash with a terrifying combined assault!
***
"Cough, cough... what the heck is with that guy... throwing me like a ball..."
Chen Ye got up from where he had landed with difficulty, coughing and wincing in pain.
Fortunately, his hard-trained physical endurance was very strong.
Otherwise, he and Yozakura Tsubomi might have been crushed by landing so hard.
"Are you all right?" Yozakura Tsubomi's melodious, caring voice came from his arms.
Hearing that gentle voice, Chen Ye immediately forgot his irritation and pain.
"Yes, I'm fine. What about you?"
"I'm sorry," said Tsubomi. "Flash wouldn't do something so extreme without a strong reason. It only proves that our condition and situation are truly very bad..."
"It's fine, I understand the circumstances too," Chen Ye answered with a slight bitterness at the end.
"Besides, this is also my fault and my master's for dragging you all into this big trouble."
He hated this reality, but if not for him and the Sword King, the Yozakura Family would not be suffering all these terrible disasters.
But Yozakura Tsubomi only smiled gently with understanding eyes.
"Don't think about it too much... you may not know it, but sooner or later, something like this was bound to happen as long as I am alive in this world."
"Huh?"
Chen Ye was confused by the meaning of her words, but Yozakura Tsubomi gave no further explanation.
The petite girl stepped out of Chen Ye's arms with a graceful motion.
Politely, she patted her white clothes, slightly dirty from dust and rubble, then extended her soft hand toward Chen Ye.
"Come..." she said with a soothing smile.
"We must do something important before everything gets worse and spirals out of control."
"O-oh?"
Chen Ye was a little dazed by that beautiful smile.
Hesitantly yet trustingly, he took the very soft and warm hand.
Yozakura Tsubomi smiled wider and, with slow but certain steps, led him through a hidden door that seemed to lead to a dark underground chamber.
The journey took several minutes through narrow, damp stone passages.
But the farther they walked from the surface, the entire atmosphere, which at first had felt dark and oppressive, seemed to change completely.
The air, which had at first felt foul and stuffy, now became very clean and fresh, refreshing to the lungs.
And finally... they arrived at an astonishing place.
Chen Ye's eyes widened as he beheld a sight completely beyond his expectations.
The atmosphere was filled with an aura of pure life so thick it could be felt on the skin.
Soft greenish lights floated in the air like fireflies, while the air felt wonderfully refreshing and free of all kinds of impurities and pollution.
But what captivated him most was... a giant tree that seemed to be the source of everything amazing here.
"W-what is this place? This pure and mighty life energy..."
Chen Ye stammered, his eyes unable to leave the magical sight.
The Sword King suddenly appeared in spiritual form.
The expression of that Transcendent being was now filled with deep awe and extraordinary disbelief.
"This is truly... beyond anything I have ever imagined..."
Meanwhile, Yozakura Tsubomi had already walked up to the giant tree and gently touched its trunk, as though greeting an old friend.
"This is the 'Root'..." she said in a voice full of affection.
"Simply put, you can think of it as the manifestation of the ability, or 'Talent,' that I possess."
"T-Talent?"
Chen Ye repeated in disbelief.
Yozakura Tsubomi nodded slowly while still stroking the tree.
"You may have wondered why I can live for so many years though I am not a powerful Hunter, right? Here, I will answer all your questions... It is all thanks to the Talent I possess called..."
'๐ฆ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ.'
What kind of Talent was that?
It was a rare SSS-rank Talent that caused its owner's entire body to contain proteins and cells that ordinary "humans" and normal Hunters should not have.
This unique protein was called 'Someinine.'
What was the amazing effect of this "Someinine"?
Put brieflyโฆ Yozakura Tsubomi had become a "perfect" human in the truest sense.
Perfect here was not only in terms of physical strength or combat abilityโalthough that might be included tooโbut in terms of embodying the deepest hope of humans who always wanted to be free from all kinds of disease, gain "eternal" life, and reach perfection of body and soul.
A human who was not easily swayed by negative emotions, a human who would not be affected by any evil desires, and a human always filled with pure affection...
And Yozakura Tsubomi had truly become such a being thanks to Someinine.
Her existence resembled that of the Angel race, but even Angels could still be tainted by negative influences, whereas Yozakura Tsubomi was entirely unaffected by any negativity in this world.
Her mind and body would always remain clean and pure of all filth, like a newborn baby... That was the extraordinary power of Someinine.
Precisely because of this purity, Yozakura Tsubomi was filled with an incredibly mighty pure life energy.
This life energy was so strong and pure that it made Yozakura Tsubomi "immortal" in the true sense.
Ordinary methods of killing could not kill her because of her absurd regenerative ability.
Even if a full-power nuclear bomb were dropped directly on her, Yozakura Tsubomi would regenerate within seconds, far surpassing the immortality of Tsukuyomi Tsukasa, who needed nearly a full month to recover from severe wounds.
Unfortunately, although Someinine was very beneficial and wonderful for Yozakura Tsubomi, Someinine continuously produced life energy in enormous amounts.
This energy could attract the attention of various evil parties who wanted to use her life energy like a power bank to extend their lives or become stronger.
Rather than being captured and exploited by such immoral people, Yozakura Tsubomi preferred to channel most of that energy into a special tree.
And that tree... was now known as the ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐.
"A question arose in the past," Tsubomi continued in a melodious voice.
"Why is Master Swordsman City so fertile and full of life even though its geographical location should not support it?"
Some said Master Swordsman City was blessed by the three legendary founding families...
Some said there was a unique and special [mana] in Master Swordsman Cityโฆ
And some said that a Transcendent being in the past had bestowed a blessing on this city...
All those guesses were both wrong and right.
It was true the city was blessed, but not by a Transcendent being or other mystical things...
Master Swordsman City was so fertile and full of life precisely because of the existence of the "Root," which continuously spread life energy.
The Root, constantly filled with pure life energy by Yozakura Tsubomi, kept growing and developing rapidly, so its positive influence spread to cover the entire area of Master Swordsman City.
This was also what enabled Yozakura Tsubomi to control tree roots emerging from the ground to attack enemies and protect herself and her people..
"But the Root's true ability is not only that," Yozakura Tsubomi continued.
"If I wanted, I could use the Root to absorb and devour other living beings."
It was just that Yozakura Tsubomi had never done such a terrible thing.
Because the Root would be contaminated and lose its purity if that happened.
A contaminated Root would give birth to horrifying, uncontrollable monsters, and although Yozakura Tsubomi could control those monsters, the pure power of the "Someinine" Talent would certainly spread everywhere and cause chaos...
Hearing all these shocking explanations, Chen Ye felt his head spinning, while the Sword King was also greatly shocked and amazed at how tremendous Yozakura Tsubomi's Rank SSS Talent was.
Honestlyโฆ as Yozakura Tsubomi had explained, everyone in this world would surely target the girl, including an organization as powerful as the World Organization.
Not only humanity, but other races such as Demons, Elves, Dragons, and others would surely secretly try to rob or kidnap Yozakura Tsubomi!
Even the strongest Transcendent beings would surely be tempted by that extraordinary power!
Wait a moment...
"Earlier you said the Demon Dragon Lord might be targeting you," the Sword King's eyes widened with a terrifying realization.
"Does this mean..."
Yozakura Tsubomi nodded gently.
"Yes... he very likely already knows of my existence and wants to use either 'me directly' or this Root to heal the old injuries he has suffered for years."
Damn it!
The Sword King's expression turned deathly pale at once.
If that guess was right, then it was truly the most horrifying nightmare!
And not only that, with the immense intensity and purity of Yozakura Tsubomi's life energy, he was sure the Demon Dragon Lord would not only recover completely but also become far stronger than before!
When that happened, except for a few of the strongest empires or certain organizations like the Hunter Association and World Organization, no being in the world would be able to stop the Demon Dragon Lord from rampaging and destroying human civilization!
Cold sweat ran down the Sword King's temples as he was trapped in an endless whirlpool of thought.
In the midst of the oppressive silence, Chen Ye's voice suddenly broke it with a hesitant tone hanging in the air.
"But..." Chen Ye raised his gaze, looking at the figure standing calmly before them.
"If you can still stay this calm, does that mean you already have a plan?"
That simple question made the Sword King start from his reverie.
His eyes now fixed on Yozakura Tsubomi, who still held her gentle smileโa smile that for some reason felt so painful in this critical situation.
"Yes..." The girl nodded slowly, her voice like a soothing whisper of spring wind.
"I do have a plan. In fact, since the first time I saw you two, this plan began to take shape in my mind."
A moment of silence enveloped the room. The air grew heavier with unspoken tension.
"What are you planning?" the Sword King asked in a deep, heavy voice.
Yozakura Tsubomi's cherry-blossom-colored eyes glittered with a strange light.
"Simple," she said in a tone so calm it was frightening.
"I want Chen Ye to absorb all of the Root's life energy..."
Chen Ye's eyes widened, perfectly round like someone who had just seen a ghost.
On the other side, a deep furrow carved the Sword King's face.
"Wait a moment!" The Sword King rose from his position, his voice rising with worry.
"That life energy is far too abundant! Even with his Emperor of Sword Talent, Chen Ye will surely die!"
"I know that." Yozakura Tsubomi answered.
"But the life energy produced by the Root is not only capable of permanently strengthening a person. There is something else that can be drawn from this power, namely... Resurrectionโthe ability to bring back to life."
A deadly silence assaulted the room.
"โฆ Bring back to life?"
Chen Ye mumbled, not believing what he had just heard.
"Y-you're serious?"
This time even the Sword King's voice trembled violently.
His pupils widened as he stared at the girl before him with a mixture of fear and disbelief.
"The life power of Someinine is far more astonishing than anything you have imagined," Yozakura Tsubomi said in a melodious voice that sounded like a lullaby.
Eternal life, healing of fatal injuries, regeneration of destroyed limbs, creation of new organisms, even resurrection from deathโthough with certain conditions that must be metโall of these fell within the spectrum of extraordinary abilities of "Someinine."
There were still various other abilities that could be drawn from the power of Someinine, but Yozakura Tsubomi deliberately did not explain them all to them.
She knew too much information would only confuse them further.
If Yozakura Tsubomi had been a figure full of ambition and thirst for power, she would surely have become one of the most revered individuals, even worshiped by millions of people across the world.
"There is no other way left..."
Her voice turned into a whisper that was almost inaudible.
"If the Demon Dragon Lord is truly after me, then this is the plan we must carry out..."
By using all of the Root's life energy, Yozakura Tsubomi was confident she could drastically strengthen Chen Ye.
At the same time, she could also resurrect the Sword King's original body, which had been shattered to pieces.
At a glance, that sounded like a perfect planโtoo perfect, even.
But something was off.
Something that made the hair stand on end.
Chen Ye could not explain this feeling, but his instincts screamed that something was wrong with all of this.
"Ara~ What an utterly perfect plan from the Honorable Head of the Yozakura Family~"
A melodious voice full of mockery suddenly echoed in the room, changing the atmosphere completely.
"?!"
Chen Ye and the Sword King changed expressions at the same time.
Chen Ye's reflexes drew his sword in a flash, positioning himself as a living shield to protect Yozakura Tsubomi behind him.
But with a gentle motion almost like a dance, Yozakura Tsubomi stopped Chen Ye while saying in a very soft voice.
"You've come... Restia."
"Fufu~" A teasing little laugh echoed.
"At first I had no intention of coming home this soon, but when the protection I had set up for years suddenly broke, it caught my attention. And look at the condition of the family you worked so hard to build right now... completely ruined, nothing left. Not only that, the other two families are so shameless they make me want to wipe them off the face of the earth~"
The girl's voice was captivating and full of charm, yet every word that left her mouth was like a sharp knife that made Chen Ye and the Sword King shudder to the marrow.
Pitch-black feathers began to fall, filling a place that had previously been full of life aura.
Chen Ye then saw a petite figure who looked like a fallen angelโor more precisely, an angel cast out of heavenโland gracefully before them.
The figure was a young girl with an almost unreasonable beauty.
She wore a night-colored gown that looked as if made from darkness itself.
Her skin was pale like porcelain never touched by sunlight, with long, glossy black hair flowing to her waist like a waterfall of darkness.
When Chen Ye looked into the purple eyes that seemed able to suck out the soul of anyone who dared meet them, he felt dazed for a moment before finally coming to his senses as he felt the deadly danger radiating from the petite girl.
Wait... from the start, was this girl truly human?
"It's truly unexpected to see a high-level Spirit in a place like this," the Sword King said in a tone that tried to sound calm, though cold sweat kept flowing.
"Or should I call you... a Darkness Spirit?"
"Oh?" The girl tilted her head with a motion that seemed innocent yet terrifying.
"A nearly dying soul like you recognized my identity in an instant. As a reward for your intelligence, perhaps I can let you die without too much pain."
She spoke those cruel words with a sweet smile.
"Hahaha," the Sword King laughed, though his voice trembled.
"To kill me, you'll have to try harder than that, young lady."
Though he spoke with great confidence, in truth the Sword King was frightened to the bottom of his heart!
He might call the girl a high-level Spirit, but her purity and existence were equal to a Pure Spiritโperhaps even more!
The purity of her darkness element was so terrifying that the Sword King nearly mistook her for a Transcendent being!
"Really?" The girl's tone turned dangerous.
"If you're so confident, how about we try it right now?"
Several dense spheres of darkness began to form around her hands, swirling with a chilling aura of death.
"Restia... stop." Yozakura Tsubomi said in a quiet tone.
"I know you're unhappy with this situation, but you also predicted something like this would happen, didn't you?"
The girl named Restia Ashdoll fell silent for a moment.
The teasing expression on her face slowly faded, replaced by an expressionless face that somehow felt far more frightening.
With a light flick of her finger, she made the few darkness spheres that had appeared vanish at once.
"Very well, I'll let these two clowns live for the time being," she said in a flat tone.
"However..." Her gaze narrowed dangerously. "I cannot agree to your plan, because... you intend to let yourself be devoured too, don't you?"
"Huh?"
Chen Ye and the Sword King could hardly believe what they had just heard.
Those words were like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky.
"W-wait a moment! What are you saying?! Devoured?!" Chen Ye shouted in panic, pointing at the Root with a trembling hand.
"Aren't we only going to use the life energy of this great tree?!"
Restia Ashdoll sighed long with an expression of deep boredom.
"This is why the average human is so boring and annoying," she said in a bored tone.
"Think carefully, what exactly is their ultimate goal? They don't merely intend to devour the Root, but this girl as well. So you should understand what I mean, right?"
Silence.
Chen Ye fell completely quiet.
It wasn't that he didn't understand Restia's meaning; on the contrary... he finally understood why he had felt so uncomfortable and uneasy all this time.
Right... the Demon Dragon Lord's main target was indeed the Root, but that being surely knew Yozakura Tsubomi was its creator.
Between a creation and its creator... which was far more valuable was obvious, wasn't it?
It was true the Root would vanish after being absorbed by Chen Ye, but as long as Yozakura Tsubomi was still alive and breathing, the Demon Dragon Lord still had a chance to recover by devouring her.
Moreover, the life energy flowing in Yozakura Tsubomi's body was of far higher quality and more abundant than the Root itself, due to the direct effect of Someinine's power.
So what must they do so the Demon Dragon Lord could not recover and become even stronger?
The answer was very clear...
Yozakura Tsubomi had to die as well.
But ordinary means could not kill Yozakura Tsubomi because of her extraordinary immortality.
So the only solution left was...
Yozakura Tsubomi had to merge with the Root so that Chen Ye could absorb all of her life energy at once.
In this way, all the efforts and plans of the Black Mamba and the Demon Dragon Lord today would be in vain.
Chen Ye understood the logic behind all this, but...
His heart fiercely refused to accept this reality!
He did not want someone to have to die just to make him stronger!
"There's no other way, Chen Ye..." Yozakura Tsubomi said.
"No!" Chen Ye shouted.
"There must be another solution! Why don't we try contacting the World Organization or the nearest kingdom? They'll surely help!"
Restia Ashdoll blinked for a moment before chuckling softly in a mocking tone.
"For a human with such extraordinary Talent, you really are very naive~" she said, shaking her head.
"Do you think our enemies made no careful preparations? No, they've prepared everything perfectly."
Since the moment those people first entered Master Swordsman City, there had been no way at all to leave this place.
In fact...
Restia Ashdoll raised her hand and created a complex purple magic circle.
But in the next second, the magic circle vanished as though it had never existed.
"As you can see with your own eyes, we're already surrounded by all kinds of very powerful barriers~" she explained in a casual tone that was frightening.
"Teleportation magic, communication magic, or any similar kind of magic is completely useless unless these barriers are destroyed first."
And only a Transcendent being or someone of Rank SSS could create a barrier that could even block the teleportation magic of Restia Ashdollโa pure darkness Spirit with extraordinary power.
"Master!" Chen Ye turned.
"Can't you really think of something?! There has to be another way!"
The Sword King gave no response to his disciple's plea.
Actually, he too felt truly helpless in a situation like this.
And unlike Chen Ye, who was still struggling to find another solution, the Sword King actually agreed very much with the plan Yozakura Tsubomi proposed.
After allโฆ if Yozakura Tsubomi truly sacrificed herself, his disciple Chen Ye would surely become far stronger than beforeโperhaps even strong enough to face the threats that would come in the future.
But the Sword King knew for certain that the moment he voiced such an opinion, Chen Ye would not be able to accept it and would rebel even more.
On the other hand, Restia Ashdoll seemed not to care much about Chen Ye's inner turmoil.
She said teasingly to Yozakura Tsubomi.
"So how about it, little girl?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Want me to rescue you from this situation? Because of the debt of gratitude between us, I can still force myself to create a small gap in this barrier so we can escape~"
"I am very touched and grateful for your concern, Restia," Yozakura Tsubomi replied with a sincere smile.
"But I'm sorry... maybe next time."
"Then, what a great pity~"
Restia shrugged with an indifferent attitude, though there was a flash of disappointment in her eyes.
Truly... if the situation had come to this...
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!
The entire room shook violently with a terrifying force, causing some sturdy structures to collapse and shatter into pieces.
Chen Ye's balance was disturbed and his expression changed drastically as a very frightening aura began to envelop the place where they stood!
"Fufu, bad news for all of us." Restia Ashdoll said in a teasing tone, but her gaze turned very cold and wary.
"That Transcendent being has managed to find us~"
"There's no time left, Chen Ye..."
Yozakura Tsubomi held Chen Ye's hand gently, yet her grip felt so strong.
"You must do this right away, right now."
"No! Iโ"
Chen Ye was still trying to refuse fiercely, but his words stopped when he saw a pair of terrifying golden eyes appear behind rifts in dimension that had somehow formed around them.
Not only him, but Restia Ashdoll and the Sword King also froze completely as they felt a very heavy, suffocating pressure fill the entire room.
At that moment, a very frightening voice echoed from all directions.
"[๐ฆ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ...]"
That voice was filled with chilling delight and a desire so strong, aimed directly at Yozakura Tsubomi.
'Oh God, no.'
The Sword King's expression was full of extraordinary horror.
Especially when he saw extremely powerful and complex magic circles beginning to form, surrounding them all!
๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!
A devastating explosion of pitch-black light from each magic circle began to bombard the place without mercy.
Except for the Root, which still stood firm, almost everything around them suffered total destruction!
But the key word here was "almost."
"[๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐...?? ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ! ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐น๐ ๐ณ๐๐น๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐!]"
A booming laugh shook the entire room.
They could all see Restia Ashdoll, who was struggling to protect them using her darkness magic.
"Ara~ You're truly merciless to a weak girl like me~"
Restia Ashdoll said with a smile, although her left arm, badly burned, showed her true condition.
"[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟโ]"
The voice was now filled with such intense killing intent that it could make a Rank A Hunter faint instantly.
"[๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ]"
At that moment, the world seemed to tremble to its very foundations.
Chen Ye could only watch in horror as the dimensional rift widened and spread, revealing the terrifying true form behind the dimension.
A body so long and enormous it reached 600 meters, like a giant serpent that could coil around a mountain.
The scales covering its entire body were dark purple, shimmering with a sinister light.
A long horn on its forehead and a pair of golden pupils capable of causing madness in anyone who dared meet them.
The Sword King, seeing this terrifying sight, widened his eyes at one devastating fact...
The Demon Dragon Lord had fully recovered!
The soul-freezing horror grew as a terrifying mass of [mana] began to gather and swirl around the body of that fearsome Transcendent being.
Ah... we're all going to die.
Chen Ye's mind went completely blank and his body could not move at all as a feeling of weakness and despair filled his entire being.
His whole vision began to darken because of the brutally and uncontrollably released [mana].
But in the last moments before everything ended, his body felt as if embraced by something soft and warm, andโ
๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐...!!!
โthat devastating explosion wiped out everything, leaving only darkness and eternal silence.