The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 805: Conviction

Instantly, Azure Dragon’s consciousness returned from the flow of time.

At that moment, he clearly realized that his Limitless Evolution had reached level 7.

He had always fancied himself a man with unwavering conviction, yet his Talent never reached level 7 for reason unbeknownst to him. Only when he was now facing his death did it happen. He wondered if it was a lucky or ironic turn of events.

—Qilin, I’m entrusting the future of humanity to you.

“Aghhhh!!!”

Right fist clenched tightly, Azure Dragon raced his death and fought his coming fate. It took him ten seconds to charge. A total of ten seconds. His body hadn’t gotten visibly stronger, and there was no flickering energy. Instead, he looked frail and dim.

All his energy, conviction, and even soul were condensed to his right fist. He was his punch, and his punch embodied him. There was no longer a divide.

Level 7 Limitless Evolution.

The Faithful Punch!

Azure Dragon made the last punch in his life at the ground below his feet.

...

Twenty seconds ago, a single stone shook upon a pile of stones a hundred meters from Azure Dragon. A hand shot out. Then Gao Yang stood up from the pile.

Azure Dragon had hit him with a punch with no energy enhancement, but it still inflicted a serious injury, only it wasn’t fatal.

Gao Yang threw up blood and dropped to one knee, yet his frayed nerves continued to push his brain into overdrive.

Where’s Azure Dragon?

Is he dead?

Has the fight ended?!

Gao Yang looked up quickly, seeing to his shock that fifty meters from him, a dense sea of ice lotuses had formed a three-dimensional cage, trapping Qing Ling and Can and inflicting countless piercing wounds on them.

They struggled with all they had, but couldn’t get out any time soon.

There were two others at the heart of the cage: Azure Dragon and Six Rime.

Six Rime lay on the ground, dead. Azure Dragon stood beside her with his right fist clenched and his body unassumingly dim. However, his fist alone was blindingly bright to the point that it seemed to be melting. The golden light cast the sea of crimson flowers around him in a golden pink like a little sun.

And he was aiming his fist at the ground below his feet!

He’s charging!

He’s going to drag everyone to hell with him!

No, he’s dying! Why does he still have so much energy?!

Gao Yang didn’t have the time to figure out the answer.

The energy route for Teleportation in his body had been completely damaged, preventing him from using the Talent at the moment. And he couldn’t get close enough to Azure Dragon at the heart of the blood lotuses to lock him in an Absolute Barrier.

Gao Yang ran at full speed toward the unconscious Ke Yo and pulled her into his arms. Then he quickly headed back to rush at Qing Ling, who was at the edge of the sea of lotuses.

Hurry! A little faster!

Azure Dragon would at most charge for another ten seconds, or maybe eight... Dammit! I’m running out of time!

Making a split-second judgment, Gao Yang hurled Ke Yo toward Qing Ling, and the ice lotuses trapping Qing Ling left numerous cuts on the unconscious Ke Yo with their sharp petals.

“Absolute Defense!”

It was Gao Yang’s current limit to use three small Absolute Barriers in an hour. In fact, what little energy he had in him was barely enough to conjure this barrier. It would last at most a minute, but it should be enough to shield them from Azure Dragon’s suicide attack for mutual destruction.

A stream of golden energy emerged from Gao Yang’s feet. Like a golden snake with lightning speed, it shot toward Qing Ling and Ke Yo. There was an explosive clink. The barrier formed to cover them and the lotuses trapping them.

At the same time, Gao Yang rushed toward Can.

Fire burst out of his fist. There’s still time, Gao Yang!

Destroy the lotuses trapping Can even if it’ll burn her! Save her and take her back to the safe house of the Absolute Barrier together.

You can do it! There’s still time! You can make it!

You’re the Divine Scion! You’re lucky! You will do it!!

Amid the crimson flowers, Can, dressed in her favorite coat, seemed more vibrant and beautiful than usual with the blood covering her blending with the red coat and the lotuses. She cocked her head. A few strands of blood-drenched hair fell on her pale cheek. Blood leaked out of the corners of her mouth. Her cracked lips curled into a smile at Gao Yang, who was rushing toward her.

I knew you would come for me, Captain, again and again.

You’re wonderful. You’re handsome, gentle, considerate, and powerful. I admire you the most, Captain.

But you’re not without shortcomings, Captain. You can be a real idiot sometimes.

This is the last time, Captain. Don’t ever do something this foolish again.

Can ignored the way the sharp petals tore open her arm to raise her bloodied right hand with difficulty, aiming it at Gao Yang.

At that moment, she found her belief.

Gale and Invisibility reached level 7.

She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t make a sound with all her energy devoted to her next move.

Three silent syllables escaped her lips.

“□□□.”

No! Don’t!

Don’t do this, Can! Please! Please don’t do this!

Stop! This is an order! I can save you! I can save you for sure!!

I’m the Divine Scion! I can definitely...

Whoosh. Powerful wind elements formed a cyclone. It was gentle yet powerful, and like tens of thousands of wind fairies flapping their wings while playing and laughing, the cyclone swept Gao Yang into its embrace, taking him away from Can.

A second later, Azure Dragon’s Faithful Punch slammed into the ground. Blinding light radiated from him and spread quickly to devour everything in an instant.

Gao Yang, who was quickly thrown toward the edge of the battlefield, was still staring at the bloom of vibrant red amid the sea of flowers. It was a petite, frail girl in a red coat that didn’t suit her.

There was something every member of the Nine Scions knew but never had the heart to put into words.

No matter how Can put on high heels and grew her hair long, no matter how much effort she put in, the red coat never really fit her right.

Dressed in the ill-fitted coat, the girl vanished into the blinding tsunami of energy along with the ice lotuses around her like a fleeting illusion.

Soon, the tsunami caught up to Gao Yang and devoured and tore into him as well.

The moment his consciousness melted into a deep void, a familiar conversation resounded in his mind.

“Captain, I, I avenged Ronnie...”

“Good work.”

“But why, why does it hurt so much still...”

“Revenge is necessary. But revenge isn’t going to change much.”

“So, so that is it...”

...

Triangular Towers, Ni Nation, early morning.

The dust storm quieted. A massive abyss appeared in the heart of the desert. Under the gaze of the cold moonlight, it looked as if a black vortex had emerged in the serene gray-blue sea, and time seemed to stop at that moment.

It was only an illusion, though. The ground began to shake slightly, and tiny sand particles jumped. Boom! An awe-inspiring golden pillar of light shot out after two seconds, straight toward heaven.

The light illuminated all there was between heaven and earth, and it seemed as if no shadow remained in the world, drowned by a hundred percent pure radiance.

Like the pillar of creation, the golden light beam connected heaven and earth, threatening to disturb the nebulas in the cosmos. The resulting gusts shot out in all directions across the desert, and the sand they brought up conjured more sand storms, hitting not only the tourist area in the desert but also the nearby cities.

It was only after thirty seconds that the light beam dissolved and scattered, leaving a winding band of illusory light, accompanied by a downpour of golden snow.

Five seconds later, the dust storms quieted once more.

The desert reverted to its usual cold vastness. However grand and epic the earlier phenomenon had been, it returned to being lonesome and empty.

The night drew darker with the lazy moon disappearing behind the dark clouds like a pedestrian rushing back home after witnessing a spectacle.

It cared not how many had died in the spectacle and how many hearts had been crushed.

It cared not how the furious growls of white-hot faith had attempted to shake the gears of fate, only to realize the ordeal was as meaningless as a mantis trying to block a car with its legs.

It cared not about humans, monsters, the Mist World, the Heavenly Way, or even the universe and the ultimate truth.

It was bored, disinterested, and close to falling asleep.

So it went home and got into bed, tucking itself in with a mutter, The hell it has to do with me?