Chapter 332

Chapter 118 Light and Darkness – Fifteen

The instant I heard those words, my body went ice cold, my limbs numb and weak. A buzzing sound filled my head, and I suddenly felt dizzy, staring straight into the bright eyes of the little girl.

The city in the distance and the sky, the black-haired, black-eyed girl in front of me, her delicate and stunning face. All the scenes reflected in her scarlet pupils vanished in an instant as her eyes quickly dimmed.

Ryushu’s eyes were no longer bright. It was as if the last flicker of light had disappeared.

“Ryushu…”

I trembled, wanting to grab her hand, to hold on to what was about to be lost, to let the little girl feel the warmth of human touch.

I reached out my hand.

Just before my fingers touched her forearm, the little girl suddenly lifted her head.

My heart skipped a beat. Before I could react, a surge of black smoke exploded from in front of me, engulfing everything in sight. The wind blew fiercely, pushing me back several steps until I managed to steady myself.

“Mm…”

Ryushu’s figure ahead was completely enveloped by the black smoke, which moved like thick liquid around her. Snakes of smoke shot out in all directions, covering a hundred meters of area and turning it into a terrifying death zone.

Houses collapsed in clusters, bricks and dust flying up more than ten meters high. Countless streams of black smoke fell onto the streets and into buildings. Nearby alleys echoed with continuous explosions, “boom boom boom,” as wind and dust swirled together, making it impossible to open one’s eyes.

Then, crimson light pierced through the black fog from ahead, like a sudden snake eye opening in the darkness.

“Howl—”

An ancient, indescribable, leisurely cry came from within the dense black smoke.

The black smoke in front of me became even more turbulent, with一股股 deathly fog shooting out, resembling malevolent spirits wandering recklessly in broad daylight, destroying the bustling city, destroying everything in sight, and consuming all life except for mine. More greenish-white smoke surged from various places, slowly drifting over.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

In the next moment, as I gathered frost mist on my hands, a withered, massive arm with muscles still twitching on its forearm, roared like a train coming towards me, slamming directly at me.

Whizz—

My black hair was blown wildly by the fierce wind.

In that split second, my body’s instinctive reaction always seemed to precede my conscious mind. My burning black wings spread wide, then contracted, wrapping me tightly like a cocoon just before the giant hand struck. Flames flickered and black mist rolled, forming a tornado that surrounded me. Pale white light glowed, and I clenched my teeth, facing the impact head-on.

Bam!

A loud explosion.

The moment the immense force hit, I felt as if I had been struck by a high-speed train, my feet sinking into soft cake-like rubble, instantly shattered and scattered. My body was propelled backward amidst the swirling dust, spinning countless times in mid-air, smashing through walls one after another, finally landing with a “bang,” cracking the ground, almost sinking in completely.

“Guh… cough!”

I lay仰躺在 tightly wrapped black flames, gasping for breath for a long time.

Despite the protection of the black flames, this terrifying blow still left me dazed, with constant ringing in my ears, my vision blurred, and a sweet taste in my throat.

Struggling to sit up, I propped myself up with my left hand, immediately feeling a sharp pain in my forearm and wrist joint.

“Sss—”

I couldn’t help but inhale sharply.

I wasn’t sure if I had twisted my ankle or injured it while blocking the impact, but my joint was slightly swollen and red. However, it wasn’t serious; it would heal soon.

I gritted my teeth, moving my wrist, quickly getting up from the ground, controlling the black flames surrounding me to part to the sides. My wings spread again, ready for the next attack.

The wind scattered the swirling dust around, and with my right hand, I brushed aside some disheveled hair, then patted the creased and dusty hem of my garment. I shook my head and lifted my gaze.

Bodies mangled beyond recognition lay haphazardly among the ruins. Apart from the sounds of collapsing stones and buildings, there was no other noise. The guards had either fled or perished; they no longer posed a threat.

…Ah, the church!

I quickly turned my head and looked toward the direction of the church behind me.

In my line of sight, a brilliant golden light shot up to the sky. The arc-shaped barriers enveloping the entrance rapidly expanded backward, gradually enclosing the entire church. A few wisps of dead smoke hovering low were stopped by the sturdy barriers, unable to advance further. Those inside were temporarily safe, but the frenzied soldiers outside had been completely devoured.

With just one glance, I confirmed that the church was unharmed. I swiftly turned back and looked ahead.

Dozens of meters away, the tavern where I had been knocked down earlier had its walls mostly collapsed, with broken tiles and a damaged roof. On a distant rooftop, a strange cry echoed again, and dark dead smoke swirled and rapidly dispersed in the air.

After a moment, a huge monster broke through the black smoke and stepped out.

It spread its thin wings.

That was like a bizarre yet splendid giant black-patterned butterfly entangled by dead smoke.

Hovering high above, its six long, ink-black legs pierced through the earth and rocks, embedding themselves into the ground. The monster’s shadowy body, shrouded in dead smoke, remained motionless, with its crimson eyes peering through the fog at me.

“Yilu…shi…”

I murmured, perhaps only I could hear myself.

It’s over…

The moment the monster appeared, Yilushi… she was… she had already…

What should I do?

Should I kill her who has turned into a monster?

I should kill her…

Otherwise, the royal city will face unprecedented disaster, and the history of this thousand-year-old city might come to an end today, with countless people dying, including Sarah, Sophia, Daisy… just like those villagers in Silgaya, powerless to resist.

I know… Sylviega, you must kill her.

Kill it…

…or maybe I can try talking to her again…

Perhaps she still retains her consciousness… just like I did. Yes… if I can, then she has no reason…

I clenched my fist, holding onto the last bit of hope, and took a step forward.

“【Abyssal Language】We… the powerful kin.”

In the next moment, a cold, emotionless voice, like a clear female voice in a dream, drifted over from the direction of the monster.

“【Abyssal Language】Please join me in obeying the will of the deity and correcting the order of the world.”

My steps abruptly halted, my heart trembled violently, and sank deep.

This tone… Abyssal Language…

“You…”

My voice quivered as I softly called out to the monster. The right hand hidden behind my back emitted a faint blue glow.

“Yilushi… Is it… you?”

The monster remained silent for a moment.

“【Abyssal Language】I am the abyss of disillusionment. What do you mean by Yilushi? I don’t understand. Please explain in detail… you… howl!”

Suddenly, the monster let out a long roar, spreading its butterfly wings, causing a violent gale that swept up the street, turning it into flying sand and debris. It seemed somewhat uncomfortable, its large body swaying constantly. In the midst of this, I heard the voice of a little girl again.

“Sister… kill… me…”

Then, the monster’s figure gradually faded and disappeared from my sight.

!

She still retains her consciousness!

“Yilushi!”

Boom—

Behind, the flame wings suddenly slapped the ground, and the petite figure, surrounded by rubble and dust, shot up into the sky.