Chapter 256.5-3: The Murderous Sword Disciple's Dilemma 3
As more time passed, a strange phenomenon suddenly unfolded in the skies. The man, covered in injuries and wearing a bloodthirsty expression, laughed maniacally as his greatsword radiated a sharp aura filled with malicious sword ki. With overwhelming momentum, he struck.
-6th Bright Brilliance Sword: Murderous Gleaming Break-
A roaring, razor-sharp force erupted as his greatsword smashed into the barrier formed by an injured Middle Stage Mortal Lord demonic cultivator. The barrier shattered instantly, causing the demonic cultivator to cough up blood as he slammed his hardened fist into the blade, barely managing to redirect the strike.
"Heh! Eat this!" the man roared eagerly as his aura erupted once more. He pressed the attack relentlessly, forcing the demonic cultivator further into a disadvantaged position.
Then it happened.
The skies twisted violently as storms of energy spread across the battlefield, alarming everyone present.
A terrifying oppressive aura descended as a thunderous sound echoed outward, carrying an intrusive voice layered within it.
"BEGONE FROM THIS SAGE'S PRESENCE!"
The illusion of a storm of white lightning surged outward, engulfing the battlefield. Chaos erupted instantly. Some fell into illusions, others coughed violently as their injuries tore open, and several collapsed as if electrocuted. Fear spread like wildfire as many attempted to flee from what felt like an impending calamity.
Mortal Lord experts and above endured far better, yet even they stood stunned, shock and fear flickering across their faces. Before orders could be issued, several fled outright, abandoning the battlefield entirely.
The man's heart jolted as disbelief filled his expression. He looked toward the massive entity shrouded in white lightning in the skies. That terrifying figure seemed to stabilize briefly before beginning to dissipate after unleashing that single command, one that had affected nearly the entire battlefield.
From nearby conversations, he heard deafening cheers mixed with far more horrified cries of disbelief. Whatever ability had been used showed no discrimination between friend or foe. It was pure arrogance, the act of a supreme existence that cared for nothing but itself.
Moments later, the voice roared again with even greater intensity. A mighty shockwave layered with white lightning and flames crashed down upon the land with unbridled arrogance.
"THIS SAGE TOLD YOU TRASH TO BEGONE!!!!"
The man clenched his teeth as disbelief deepened in his gaze.
"How can this be?! Is that really Junior Brother Elton?! No way in hell. That guy is no weaker than me, sitting around the peak Middle Stage Mortal Shedding Realm! This makes no sense. He was still a Golden Lord just five months ago when I last saw him!" His face paled before another thought struck him. "And what the hell is with this insane god complex?!"
Still conflicted, he turned his gaze back to the struggling Middle Stage Mortal Lord demonic cultivator he had been fighting. A fierce grin spread across his face as he noticed the countless openings left behind in the chaos. He assumed a sword stance and swung decisively.
—1st Bright Brilliance Sword: First Light Pierce—
His great-sword thrust forward, piercing cleanly into the demon's side. The demonic cultivator barely managed to defend, coughing violently as fury twisted his face. In desperation, the demon generated a a might concentration of energy before slamming his palm into the ground, unleashing a violent explosion that blasted everything nearby away, friend and foe alike.
The man leapt backward, raising his greatsword to shield himself from the worst of the shockwave.
"Ugh, you damned scoundrel… It looks like the war is finally ending…" He paused, alarm suddenly flashing in his eyes. "Huh? Why are they giving chase so fiercely?! Wait… Junior Brother Elton, what the hell are you doing?!"
He watched as Elton rode atop the massive blue sword, streaking through the skies cloaked in white lightning while unleashing relentless attacks upon fleeing enemies. Behind him followed the enormous Winged Serpent, whose shifting gaze suggested clear reluctance rather than eagerness.
Like falling dominoes, experts on all sides began pursuing the retreating demonic alliance and Native forces. Even those who had barely survived Elton's earlier roar now joined the chase.
The man hesitated, torn by uncertainty, until he noticed that even his fellow seniors were following Elton's lead. It seemed less like blind aggression and more like distant protection against enemy Late Stage Mortal Lords and Soul tier experts.
After a brief pause, he sighed and finally released all restraint.
"Hahahaha! If Junior Brother Elton has not had enough, then I might as well join the fun!"
With that, the battle transformed into a full massacre. Unwilling enemy experts fell one after another beneath the blades of the White Star Radiance Alliance and their allies.
…
"… … …"
The man stood exhausted, blood soaking his ruined sect robes. Whether it belonged to him or others was unclear. Despite his injuries, he clenched his teeth and continued fighting.
Corpses littered his path, enemies and allies alike. He turned his gaze toward the distance, fixing on Elton, who appeared to be enjoying himself far too much, radiating endless energy and letting loose that infuriating arrogant laughter.
"Seriously… if there were such a thing as a devil lord, he would fit it perfectly. No, more like a war king. Setting that aside, how is he still fighting like this? Forget Apex Mortal Lord. He is something far beyond that, no matter how I look at it…"
A shiver ran through him at the impossibility of it all.
Just as he prepared to rejoin the slaughter, a magical aircraft streaked overhead and descended rapidly in front of Elton, who had just finished annihilating another group of enemies. Four figures leapt from the craft, landing before him with their magics already activated.
The man's eyes widened slightly as recognition dawned.
"…My three Junior Sisters, Christy, Shayleaf, and…" His brow furrowed. "What the hell happened to Erica since the last time I saw her in the Old Blue Star Sect's Grave? No, that does not matter."
His expression turned serious.
"What matters is why they are standing against their own sect master."
The man remained still, carefully listening in on their exchange.
A mini forest suddenly appeared surrounding them as nature magic flowed through the area.
"Hahahaha. Oh, my dear ladies. Tell me, what exactly is the meaning of this? To attempt to imprison this Sage in such a way, especially while surrounded by enemies on this battlefield?" 'Elton' asked curiously, a smirk on his face.
The child version of Erica continued chanting as the forest ignited with bright white flames. Elton raised an eyebrow while glancing at his own body. "Ooohh? Hahaha. Indeed, so this is the case. My beloved women are trying to rebel against this Sage? It seems you have figured some things out, but it does not matter. Just as I allowed you to become this Sage's weakness, I too am your greatest weakness."
'Elton' sneered as the magic formed by Erica and Shayleaf began to strain. Seals that had suddenly appeared across his body shone with brilliant light.
"Brother Elly!!! Please come back! I do not like this guy!" Shayleaf cried out desperately.
"Hahaha! It is useless to call for that pacifist. Behave yourself!" 'Elton' roared with laughter.
"El Onyem… this battle is over. Please bring the true El Onyem back," Erica said through clenched teeth, pain evident on her face.
"Hmph. Whether you like it or not, Elton is this Sage, and this Sage is Elton. I do not enjoy repeating myself, but for you I will exercise a little patience. Now behave," 'Elton' replied coldly.
A towering aura erupted from his body, vaguely surpassing the Middle Stage Mortal Shedding Realm. Even experts far away gasped as the suffocating pressure washed over the battlefield.
Watching from a distance, the man strained to observe them through the small forest. His expression twisted as he cursed under his breath. "What the hell are these damned kids doing right now? In the middle of a war, no less?! …Wait. This actually aligns with Junior Brother Elton's current behavior since he appeared on the battlefield. Damnit."
He continued listening.
Christy's voice rang out calmly, tinged with exhaustion. "Sage, enough. I will awaken Gege now. No, to be precise, Gege will make his move with my help."
"Hahaha! This woman of mine wh—"
Silence followed.
The small forest suddenly expanded, swallowing everyone within its range. Any enemies who approached were immediately attacked by vines and branches. No one dared interfere, especially with a healthy Middle Stage Mortal Lord like Christian standing guard nearby. The man frowned at first, then sighed as he shook his head.
The war was over.
Then it happened.
Everything turned white, or perhaps dark. A massive force of pressure crushed down upon the battlefield, extending far into the distance.
Very few could comprehend what had occurred. The man was among the quicker ones to regain his senses. The forest had vanished entirely. Standing alone in the center of a now barren stretch of land was Elton, his entire demeanor completely changed.
Shayleaf, Christy, and Erica rushed forward, throwing themselves into his embrace.
The man went pale as realization struck him. Sweat poured down his bloodied face.
"…Divine Eyed Goddess. No doubt it's her," he whispered as his gaze landed on Christy before moving towards Elton. "Then that third aura I sensed… I can feel it clearly now. It was Junior Brother Elton. No… it was the 'him' from before his demeanor changed."
The man nearly collapsed as he was feeling the effects of being utterly exhausted from battle. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to remain conscious and moved to assist in cleaning up the battlefield's aftermath.
…
"So, Junior Brother Renji. Tell me, what is your assessment of our six newest Junior Brothers and Sisters?" Rukia asked as she lounged in a chair wrapped in gauze and bandages.
The man, whose name was indeed Renji, rested in a similar chair, his own body heavily bandaged. He lowered his gaze and stared into space for a long while before responding.
"Honestly, they are all monsters. Especially Junior Brother Elton. That guy is a monster among monsters. The fact that two of them have already reached Mortal Lord at their ages is absurd. The other four will likely follow soon. Or rather…" Renji paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "I suspect Junior Brother Zoro has already broken through. He is the four-armed Black Devil, isn't he?"
Rukia's lips curved into a faint smile as she nodded. "He is. It is only a matter of time for the rest. And with Junior Brother Elton gaining partial control over that Legacy treasure of the Blue Star Sect that originally belonged to Master, perhaps Master can finally do 'that' without exhausting himself and consuming what little time he has left here."
Renji fell silent at her words. Truthfully, compared to Rukia and some of Master's older disciples, he knew far less about such matters. After a moment, he shrugged, casting the thoughts aside.
"Master intends to summon all of his living disciples eventually so we can experience a fragment of what he calls the 'true world.' Apparently, he can only fully utilize that method when the Blue Star Legacy treasure is active and under sufficient control. It is an opportunity to break through beyond the conventional methods of this world." Rukia's expression turned contemplative. "Unfortunately, I have grown too old to fully benefit from it. While you are younger and have better prospects, even you are already over a century old."
"Thanks for the reminder, Senior Sister Rukia," Renji replied dryly.
"Anytime, Junior Brother Renji," Rukia answered with a calm smile.
"Ugh…" Renji sighed heavily and leaned back, spacing out once again.
"Master is likely offering this opportunity only because of our new young juniors," Rukia continued, her voice distant. "Perhaps I can accelerate my own breakthrough into the Master Realm. As for you… maybe you will finally have a chance to redeem yourself by repairing your broken path after refusing to heed Master's guidance."
Renji growled softly, his voice low but still loud enough for her to hear. "My cultivation path is mine alone. Keep your nose out of my affairs."
Rukia said nothing. She simply stared ahead, lost in her own thoughts as silence settled between them.