That extraordinary energy shot forward as fast as a bullet, creating a swirling symphony of green and golden-brown energy.
The Uranium Nature Blossom was right before Zack's eyes. "NOOOOOOOO!" Zack screamed with all his might.
A blinding flash of green light appeared, just before...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
An extremely powerful energy explosion. Thanks to the cube-shaped space, the explosion didn't penetrate the space. The cave shook violently, and the Nature Flow energy waves spread rapidly.
Shadow and the others were pushed very far away, even beyond Zack's restraints, carried by the current of the waves.
"Icy Great Shield!" Shadow formed an ice shield and resisted the effects of the energy waves.
After the explosion, an extraordinary, towering green mushroom cloud pierced the cube's barrier.
"Damn, that's some reckless power," Shadow said, turning to the others. "Are you all okay?"
Rogue replied awkwardly. "Y-yeah, thanks a lot, Shadow."
Enatur was in bad condition, his hands burned, his shoulders and arms weakened, as if paralyzed. His eyes turned red.
Enatur's vision began to blur, as if the cave chamber were spinning rapidly.
"I can't move my body... anymore. This power has completely drained my Nature Flow!"
A faint green light shone within his body, radiating beneath his skin. His vision began to fade.
In the end, Enatur could no longer withstand the exhaustion. His body instantly collapsed onto the cave floor, and he lost consciousness.
"ENATUR!" Shadow shouted.
Zack suffered burns all over his body, and his skin was blistered in several places. Faint green veins stood out across his skin; radioactive poison was beginning to poisoning him.
Even his clothes were completely torn to shreds. His back was hunched downward.
"GAH!" Zack vomited a large amount of blood, mixed with a drop of green liquid.
With limping and weak steps, he slowly walked toward Enatur. "Amazing, it's true—the pure-blooded Vermillion lineage is truly special!"
"Even though... you managed to... severely wound me... your abilities are still not enough! This is my chance... to take you to the Vermillion Empire... young master!"
"Stop! Get away from him... SON OF A BITCH!" Shadow shouted with all his might.
"This is bad—Master might get taken by him!" said Rein.
Zack was just a step away from reaching Enatur, who was unconscious. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind sent Zack flying far away.
Crash!
Zack's body crashing into the protective wall.
"Damn it! Who are you? Show yourself!" he shouted in frustration.
A green dimensional portal opened; the sound of green high heels could be heard.
A soft yet firm female voice. "No one has the right to touch him." Her tone rose, "Except me!"
A beautiful body clad in a sexy long dress in a combination of black and green.
Long, straight green hair adorned with butterfly-wing hair ornaments. A woman of unmatched beauty.
That woman was Death, appearing like the absolute terror of death. A large green scythe was floating behind her back.
Death stood before him. An intimidating aura pressed down. Zack fell silent.
Zack tried to stand up, even though his legs were no longer strong. He was stunned by Death's appearance and swallowed hard as he felt Death's intimidating aura.
"A Divine?"
Zack cupped his hands together, offering a respectful greeting. "Miss, this is an internal family matter. Please don't interfere!" Zack glanced at her.
"Step back immediately before you truly provoke a power far more absolute than any other Divine level!" Continued Zack.
Death responded with a flat expression. "Show me where the absolute beings you're referring to live... so I can wipe you all out!"
Death released her pale green aura. Instantly, Zack's eyes widened so much that small red veins appeared at the edges of his irises.
Zack's legs could no longer support him; his face was pale, deathly white. As if he were facing the fate of death.
"W-what is this power? In my entire life, I've never felt such extreme fear... absolute death... Who exactly is this woman?"
"Die!" said Death.
Instantly, Zack collapsed to the ground. His eyes turned completely white, and his mouth remained open.
He died instantly.
Even the Elite Divine bow their heads when faced with absolute death.
Shadow and the others gasped, their mouths wide open and their eyes trembling. "With just a single word, that woman could kill a Divine?" Shadow muttered.
"Is this the woman who has been haunting Enatur?"
The Rogue Party even knelt, their heads bowed. They didn't dare look up. Death walked slowly toward Zack's corpse.
The scythe shifted to her right hand, and she thrust its tip into Zack's body. She pulled Zack's spiritual body out of the physical one.
"Uh… ugh!" Zack opened his eyes, startled. "P-please let me go!"
Death responded coldly. "Tell them, if you dare to disturb this young man... I will bring my Realm of Death and kill you all, no mercy!"
Her scythe flung Zack's spiritual body and pierced the cave ceiling. In an instant, he vanished. Shadow didn't flinch at all.
Silence. Even the heartbeats of Shadow and the others were audible.
Death turned toward Shadow and Rein. "Hey, white dog… tell that old granny, I'm taking Enatur for now. His condition is critical!"
Death stepped toward Enatur, opening a dimensional portal. Then she grabbed Enatur's hair and dragged him into the portal. Then, Death entered the portal, and dissapeared.
"Huwaaaa…!" Rogue and the others let out a long sigh.
"What a terrifying power!" said Rogue.
Shadow clenched his fists until blood dripped between his fingers.
"Damn it… damn it!… I'm completely helpless!"
The red dimensional portal opened, and a voice echoed throughout the cave chamber.
"Shadow, Rein, go inside the portal. We'll end your adventure here for now!" said Yunia.
Shadow turned to Rogue's party. "Sir Rogue, we'll take our leave now!"
Rogue nodded. "I hope Enatur is okay!"
Shadow nodded as well. Then he and Rein stepped into the portal and vanished instantly.
Even though it's over, the tension continues.
---
On the floating island, Death tossed Enatur's body onto the bed. She opened a storage space and took out a small bottle containing a medicinal liquid.
Then Death climbed onto the bed, rested Enatur's head on her shoulder, and poured the contents of the bottle into his mouth. Afterward, Death laid Enatur's body back down.
A golden light slowly appeared and surrounded his body. A sign that the medicine was working.
"It's only a matter of time before he recovers." Said Death.
Stepped down from the bed and stared at Enatur with a cold gaze. "Sigh!"
Her eyes glowed green as she used her spiritual vision to examine Enatur's condition. She sensed something wrong with Enatur's body.
Death furrowed her brows. "I figured it out earlier; he has undergone a genetic mutation. Is this a side effect of using his skill?"
"Tch! What a hassle. It's not just a genetic mutation... hm?" Death sensed something strange.
Black veins slowly began to appear under the skin all over his body. A black mist emerged from the Soul Core curse symbol on his abdomen.
The black mist began to condense, and the figure of a dark spirit appeared. Death was quite surprised by its appearance.
"Old man… you must have appeared because you sensed it too, right?" Said Death.
The dark spirit nodded. "Death-chan, we have to do something so that his phenotypic changes can be useful, not harmful!"
Phenotypic Change: A change in physical or physiological traits, whether for better or worse.
Death nodded. "Whatever you say, you take the lead. I'll follow your instructions!"
The dark spirit raised his hand; at the same time, Enatur's body floated into the air. He opened his storage space and took out his collection of medicines.
Death released her spiritual energy and channeled it into Enatur's body. Then, the dark spirit shattered a red bottle; a liquid medicine spilled out and floated.
The liquid was channeled into Enatur's body. Slowly, the black veins that had been protruding turned green.
The dark spirit looked at Death, "Bring out the DNA-Restoring Pill!"
Death opened a storage space and took out a silver pill with green patterns. Enatur's mouth opened, and Death floated the pill into his mouth.
Although he was unconscious, his eyebrows—which had been raised—now returned to their original position. His condition had improved.
Death glanced at the dark spirit. "The neutralization phase is complete. But the genetic changes were unavoidable."
"You're right; thanks to your pill, damage to Enatur's DNA was avoided. This time, he was truly reckless to create such a terrifying skill."
Death observed Enatur's condition. "But the problem is, what kind of phenotypic changes will occur in him? Hopefully, they'll have a positive effect!"
"Let's leave it to Enatur; I can't stay in his body any longer. The Soul Core Curse might break through the shield protecting his Core Essence." Said the dark spirit.
"Then?"
The dark spirit offered a bottle of medicine in shades of gray, blue, and green, hovering above Enatur's body. "Give him this medicine step by step; you know the sequence, right?"
"Sigh!" Death took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll do it!"
The dark spirit slowly transformed into black mist and entered the Soul Core curse symbol. Death continued to channel her spiritual energy into Enatur.
Three days had passed; Death had been giving Enatur treatment without stopping. A green bottle floated in her palm. Pale green liquid medicine hovered in the air.
The liquid medicine flowed into Enatur's mouth. A green light enveloped Enatur's body.
Two days later, a transparent pill with golden patterns, 2 cm in diameter, emerged from the gray bottle and floated into Enatur's mouth.
Three days later, a blue pill with white patterns, 2 cm in diameter, emerged from the blue bottle and floated into Enatur's mouth.
"So this is how it ends."
The recovery process was complete; Nature Flow energy slowly emerged from within his body and enveloped him gently.
"Phew! Finally, the troublesome times are over. It's only a matter of time until he's fully recovered—the important thing is that he's already past the critical stage!"
Silence.
Death stared at Enatur with a cynical gaze. "You'll pay for this for causing me trouble, you brat!"
Death turned and left Enatur. As she walked down the corridor...
A buzzing sound!
Death's left ear suddenly rang; she sensed someone's presence. "This aura... That girl is here!"
On the beach, the White Mask Girl stood, staring at the small sea before her.