Revival
As he threw this punch, Xavier was exceptionally certain that he’d reached the peak of his power. All his power, his hot-bloodedness, his emotions, everything had been gathered into this one punch, containing the hopes, of Crowley, Bobbi, Clive, and all the rest.
Crowley would’ve had a better chance at breaking these pearls. However, Xavier knew very well that he himself wasn’t powerful enough to stop the Tree of Life. If they switched places, he wouldn’t even have a chance to raise his fist. The Tree of Life would eliminate him instantly, and Crowley would lose his chance to attack.
This was why Crowley and the rest had placed their hopes for the world on him, and Xavier understood this enough to throw his everything into the punch. He was confident that even a fort made entirely of steel would be destroyed by this one blow.
*Clang!* His fist collided with the outer wall of the pearl, but there was no damage at all.
“NOOO!” Xavier bellowed, and raised his fist once more. Unfortunately, he was not given a second chance. A terrifying energy attacked his back, causing him to go limp.
‘No… Everyone’s sacrifice and hard work… Is the world done for just like this?’ He felt complete despair. He looked at his little sister within the pearl, seemingly in a deep sleep, as he prayed in his heart, ‘Ley, Snake Dowager! I know you can hear me, so please make a move! I’m willing to pay any price…’
Unfortunately, he soon felt himself being enveloped by a terrifying web, his soul taken captive. His thoughts grew stagnant.
Before entering complete darkness, he raised his head and looked at Jill within the pearl, “I– I’m sorry…”
The girl in the pearl had been asleep, but all of a sudden her eyebrows twitched as she awoke, her black eyes meeting Xavier’s own.
“You… this is great…” Xavier’s lips curved into a slight smile before he sank into complete darkness.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t noticed that the girl’s eyes lacked all emotion, as if she was just looking at a stranger.
“Keke… those meddling ants are now finally dead…” The Tree of Life continued to mature, and the blood-red tumour on it continued to grow in size as Emperor Aragon chuckled in a carefree manner.
“How could my blood and sweat be destroyed so easily? He seems to be related to you, little lady, he worked really hard in his effort to save your life…
“Now… it’s time to make use of you all. Wake up and help me purge the evil…” The terrifying Tree of Light had now extended its roots through half the empire, the soul energy gathered from the act quite frightening.
Numerous frenzied black spots were absorbed by the tree’s roots and branches, gathered into the twelve pearls with the girls in them. Many of the tubes couldn’t even take the pressure, causing swollen tumours to bead into the pearls.
The pearls emitted dazzling rays as they purified all the evil and insanity. The clean power was then supplied to the Tree of Life, being directed to the blood-red tumour.
“Haha… very good. That’s the way, that’s the way! I will soon become god!” Aragon said from within.
“You’re no god. You’re just a mere mortal!” A distinct voice sounded from within the pearl. Jill watched the tree tumour coldly, a look of scorn in her eyes.
“How is this possible? How can a purifier like you speak?” The huge tree tumour made a sound, and Emperor Aragon’s face appeared. However, his expression was now distorted, transforming even as it turned into a fog.
“How can a small bit of evil intent stop me?” ‘Jill’s lips curved up in a snicker, “Only mortals like you would lose their sense of self after assimilating too many souls… How sad!”
“Mortal? Who in the world are you?” Emperor Aragon’s voice now became extremely sharp.
“Me? Haven’t you been trying to go against me all this time?” Jill’s aura changed all of a sudden. Her eyes turned into stars of wisdom.
“Mistress of the Night! You’re the Night Mistress!” Emperor Aragon howled like a mouse seeing a cat.
“Didn’t you find it strange? I discovered your little plot long ago, but pretended not to notice and allowed you to do as you wished…” Shar smiled as the soul tree continued to work, large amounts of soul energy being purified and entering the tumour.
“You want to become a god? You want to go against me? That’s all a part of my plans. If not, would you still be working so hard at completing this task?” The smile on Jill’s face grew, “Also… You’ve even been so kind as to give me a chance to make use of you… How… foolish!”
A powerful will descended at this moment. The twelve purifiers continued to work, but now things were different. A pure white soul energy travelled across these channels to enter the blood red tumour, even beginning to form a huge web that unceasingly corroded Emperor Aragon’s strength.
The girls within the eleven other pearls opened their eyes as well, smiles of ridicule on their faces.
“I will be the one controlling the final body, not me.” The girls’ bodies blurred out as this proclamation resounded, as if they’d transformed from the material to become a flow of energy. The network gave them great power as they abruptly passed through the metal tower into the tree and its tumour.
“No… I’m still protected by Kalle and the mermaid… I haven’t lost yet…” Emperor Aragon appeared crazed and twisted, his face now a complete blur. The twelve young girls held hands around him, chanting a strange song with him at the centre.
Aragon didn’t even have a millionth of a chance of winning against the will and power of a rank 8 existence. The calming melody of the folksong seemed to appease the Tree of Life, causing the dark red tumour to gradually turn pure white as it faded away.
The crown of pearls stopped moving the moment the tumour disappeared, traces of cracks appearing on it. Aragon’s withered body suddenly flaked apart atop his throne, turning to a pile of ashes.
Two streaks of light suddenly appeared within the ashes, causing terrifying whirlwinds in the sky.
“Kalle, Kou… Do you still wish to go against me?” The Shadow Weave flickered, and Shar appeared on a branch of the Tree of Life, dressed in black. The two spirals grew in response to her question, slivers of bloodline force pulled out from all parts of the palace.
“This is… the bloodline of your descendants, and the power of malicious intent? I see. Is it Allsnake?” Shar bit at her lips as two illusory figures walked out of the spirals. The tyrannical power of laws from the past quickly returned.
“We already made a mistake once, Shar. We won’t make it again.” Prophet Kalle was an elderly man filled with wisdom, while Kou, who belonged to the sea tribe, looked like a mermaid. The great waves of the sea surged underneath them…
Nothing seemed to have changed within that red villa on the outskirts of Kerallen. Leylin had just finished his last move, ending the chess game.
‘I see… She used that hatred and the death of descendants to awaken the last remaining conscients, huh? It seems to be some ancient ceremonial spell…
“Sadly, even if you’ve called them out they don’t have the same absolute power as they did in the past. You’re making your move?”
The Snake Dowager nodded. “I’ve been waiting too long… Today, everything will end!” She took a step forward, and the air before her shattered.
*Whoosh!* Terrifying spatial turbulence formed. The Snake Dowager’s hair rustled, its many strands in disarray as they transformed into giant snakes. A ball of snakes that looked like a star formed underneath her, carrying the great power of her bloodline.
The Snake Dowager had taken on her ultimate form. The numerous malicious snake heads somehow didn’t diminish her charm, instead making her seem more mysterious and wild…
From the astral plane it seemed like a huge tree emanating white light had formed within the Shadow World, growing as it attempted to fuse with the world itself.
A ball of snakes the size of a world suddenly appeared, the serpents snarling and hissing at the tree of light…
“Allsnake…” Shar was not at all surprised at the Snake Dowager’s appearance, “This ten thousand year war ends here…”
“Indeed, but victory shall be mine. Your terrifying control will destroy the world!” The Snake Dowager retorted without hesitation. In the meanwhile, two streaks of purple-red light were launched from the ball of snakes, entering Kalle and Kou.
The great amount of bloodline force immediately consolidated the two’s powers, strengthening their auras.
“What a pity… If the Trial’s Eye was here to make for three, you would definitely fall here…” The Snake Dowager and the two other ancient existences in the Shadow World now stood shoulder to shoulder, creating a huge amount of pressure.
Most important was that they were natives of the world. They were the ones who’d fought over the World Will in ancient times, the ones with the authority to control the world’s outcome!