Sacrifice
Perhaps it was because of the bizarreness of the recent events, Bobbi just accepted Crowley’s regeneration with some elation. He managed to help the others upon his return, killing Night Devil and Sword Saint before moving to the final battleground.
It was there that he saw the elegant and imposing metal tower, with the needle-topped tubes surrounding it seemingly alive.
“Crowley! Hurry!” The large metal pipes moved once more, stopping Xavier outside the tree. There were numerous wounds on his body, but the youth continued to sprint forward as he headed for the tower with pearls.
“The Tree of Life!” The tree’s huge roots had spread throughout the top of the tower, its huge branches covering the skies and making for a vantage point over the entire empire.
There was a crimson glow on the tree’s bark, forming a vague image of a face filled with madness.
“Ling is so useless!” Rage appeared on the face once it saw and the rest come over. A powerful gust of energy shot forth as many of the roots of the branches of the Tree of Life shot forward to attack them. Many of the rebel troops were caught by these vines, their souls immediately extracted as corpses fell to the ground.
“At such a time… There’s nothing to be afraid of even if I die…” Crowley pushed Bobbi away, revealing a black serpent imprint on his back.
“The final seal… Unseal now!”
*Hiss!* A powerful surge of darkness spread out, and the chimeral serpent appeared once more. Only now, it looked even more illusory than before.
“I give you all my life force… Annihilate it!” Black blood oozed out of Crowley’s pores, continuously entering the body of the giant serpent. It hissed as it received the nourishment, a powerful ball of energy converging in its mouth as it materialised again.
“I’ll bury you!” Several hundred balls of energy converged, forming a terrifying black hole once more. The branches were destroyed in front of its might, saving many lives.
Facing this attack, even Aragon who’d turned into the Tree of Life had to be cautious. The massive tree shrank down a little as powerful soul force formed a thick wall before the black hole.
*Boom!* An explosion rocked the place the moment the black hole came into contact, shattering the wall.
However, the Tree of Life still stood tall after the dust settled, and even worse there was no damage to it at all!
“I’ve already become one with the Tree of Life. With the first stage of soul collection complete, nobody in the world can annihilate me anymore…” Aragon bellowed as his face appeared on the now-crimson tree.
“Just the soul energy of the empire could bring me to such a realm… I will plant firmly into the earth, becoming the core of the realm as I spread my roots throughout the world!” Aragon’s spirit projection seemed extremely zealous, his insanity overwhelming.
“Are you afraid now? Do you feel that fear? Run for your lives! If you're lucky enough… you might be able to last through the end and watch the world perish with me… No, you’ll watch the beginning of a new world!” Aragon issued his decree.
The Tree of Life immediately swelled as he spoke, terrifying roots piercing into the ground and covering the entire palace in an instant. The twelve pearls were operating at full force. A few of the girls were already unable to withstand the damage, blood spurting out of their orifices.
“Jill! Jill!” Xavier roared in rage. There had never been a day when he’d felt as cowardly and helpless before.
*Kacha! Kacha!* Cracks appeared on the ground as the Tree of Life’s roots continuously expanded through the planet. Very soon it spanned the entire empire. The crown of pearls grew at the same time, expanding until it reached the skies to connect to the Shadow Weave. Even after that it continued to expand.
It wasn’t just the cities, and it wasn’t only humans. Anything in the Empire with the ability to think had its truesoul absorbed by the Weave.
“Javis told me the Tree of Life expands in three stages. The first time it will cover the entire region. The second time it will move to cover the entire planet. The third and final stage is when it will fuse with the world itself, becoming a god!”
Clive stepped forward, “It will be impossible to defeat in its second and third stages of growth. We need to take this opportunity now to eliminate it!”
Bobbi nodded her head. “Even as it continues to expand it’s protecting those twelve pearls. They should be its core!”
“Young people, the world needs you! The old will create an opportunity for the future!” Clive stood forward with other survivors.
“That’s right…”Crowley had stood up as well, even if he was close to collapsing. “Even with the bloodline phantom we won’t be able to escape the final purge of the Weave… We can only gamble on this once chance!”
“Listen up, Xavier! We’ll concentrate our power to make a chance for you. Your mission is to charge in and destroy the twelve pearls. Remember, don’t attack the tree. That’s on a completely different level from you!” Crowley looked at Xavier and smiled, “Don’t you wish to save your sister? Then do it. Do it and, at the same time, save the world!”
“Let’s go!” Clive charged ahead, activating a platinum card against the numerous branches and pipes. “The newest technology in the Empire, a Space Reversal Pulse. I hope it’ll be of some use!” One last smile escaped Clive’s face as his body turned to dust amidst a large explosion.
“Wait for me, old man!” Another steel-faced soldier dashed forward, choosing to destroy himself without any hesitation. The sacrifice caused Xavier to clench his fists tightly.
*Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!* Explosions rang out one after the other, and a path was built upon human lives.
“This is great… That soul fortress from before can’t restore itself so easily after this much damage. We have a better chance…” Crowley pulled at Xavier, a hundred-headed giant snake charging into the vicinity of the metallic tower.
*Whoosh!* Numerous terrifying needles shot towards them like enraged beasts, the Tree of Life up above howling in anger.
On the other hand, the powerful bloodline carriers dashed out in silence, using their lives to open up the path to victory.
*Chi! Chi!* Great numbers of thin needles pricked into the hundred-headed beast, the terrifying incisions causing the huge beast’s torso to shrivel up. It soon turned into a bag of skin and bones, and Crowley seemed to have lost all blood in his face.
“No! Why is this happening?” Hot tears blurred Xavier’s sight.
“Kid, did you think we’re doing this for you? No, this is for the world!” The continuous sacrifices brought them ever closer to the platform. 20 metres… 10 metres… 5 metres…
Aragon was infuriated by the time they reached the place, the terrifying soul attacks of those branches surging violently in their direction.
“I’ll marry you, Crowley…” Bobbi stood up from the snake at this moment, her back turned to Crowley. She then jumped off the giant beast, a pair of dark green butterfly wings extending from her back in mid air. It looked dazzling and beautiful.
A dark green lustre appeared around the wings, and although it seemed weak it managed to withstand the onslaught of attacks.
The Tree of Life’s attack was like the palm of the devil king. However, a frail butterfly still managed to dance under the might of this devil, shining brilliantly with the last bit of life it had.
Bobbi’s sacrifice finally brought Xavier and Crowley to the twelve pearls. The former could see Jill within one of them, able to tell apart every pore on her body.
“Xavier! You can only count on yourself in life. The Mistress is far too superior to us; hoping for her to pity us is only something the inferior trash does…” Crowley had his back to Xavier as he spoke quickly, “This is my final realisation! Hence… The only ones able to save humankind are ourselves. Do it!
“Aragon! Die!” Crowley’s body turned into a ray of light amidst his roars, merging into the hundred-headed beasts as he formed Xavier’s last line of defence.
“Guys… guys…” Xavier’s tears flowed uncontrollably, but he did not hesitate further.
He knew full well that he could not give up this chance that everyone had fought about with their lives. Snakebite Fist leapt into action as the black datura flower bloomed on his back. All his other issues solved, he stood properly in front of Jill.
“Stop!” Terrifying soul fluctuations reverberated from behind him, but Xavier did not turn back. Someone reliable was protecting him.
“This bullshit empire!” Terrifying black energy appeared on Xavier’s hands.
“This bullshit project!” A beam of light from the datura flower engulfed Xavier’s body, allowing his strength to reach its peak.
“You bullshit Aragon! Die!” he bellowed, unleashing his strongest punch ever.