Chapter 353

Chapter 139 – Red and Black Part I

“Xil… Viga…”

“Xilviga—”

Margaret’s loud call echoed like a dreamy sound behind me, faint and indistinct.

I hugged my shoulders tightly, my body slowly curling up. Through the silver hair covering my eyes, I gazed at the gradually blurred buildings and streets ahead, almost unable to feel anything from the outside world anymore.

“Mm… Uh…”

So hot, so hot, so hot…

The anticipated pleasure from “devouring” never came; instead, there was an endless burning heat and unbearable pain.

How domineering… Haha…

The power sucked into my body was too immense. The scattered scarlet flames were chased by countless streams of dead smoke, almost devoured in an instant. The dark smoke, carrying intense energy, came rushing in, followed by Elyush’s red smoke. In a brief moment, all of it was drawn into my chest.

The surging energy flowed rapidly inside my body, an indescribable impact flooding my mind instantly. I felt my consciousness becoming hazy, my body growing heavier, losing sensation. Everything before my eyes turned surreal and blurry. Only the sharp hissing in my ears remained clear.

This is…

“Not good…”

My legs gave way, and I fell to the ground.

So uncomfortable… Why…

Was it because too much was poured in at once…

No, that’s not it…

It was the flames.

In that instant when I inhaled the red smoke, the irresistible pleasure indeed surged up… but the feeling of burning came after the dead smoke carried the flames back. It seemed as if another silent force within me was awakened by these flames, colliding with the chaotic power of the abyss. The two forces were fighting for control over those flames… I could vaguely sense this.

Faintly feeling…

That power was the sin-fire of the Gate of Truth obtained from devouring Teresa’s monster.

“Haha… Interesting…”

My breathing became increasingly labored.

In a daze, a golden light flashed before my eyes, and hands helped me sit up.

It’s that hateful woman…

I slowly raised my head and saw Margaret’s face right in front of me.

Her features were already very blurry to me. I couldn’t make out the expression on the Holy Maiden’s face, only finding her disheveled appearance somewhat comical.

There was still a lot of blood on Margaret’s face. Her hand supporting the back of my head was trembling slightly, her mouth opening and closing as if she was trying to say something.

“Have you… answered…!”

“Xil…”

What nonsense… I can’t hear clearly.

“Y-you… Ah!”

Suddenly, Margaret let out a startled cry, releasing her grip. I fell back to the ground with a thud, hitting my head hard on the stone road, yet felt no pain.

Only anger filled my heart.

Hey… What’s going on?

I turned my head and saw the Holy Maiden take two steps back. A sudden red flame ignited in her hand. She hastily performed a miracle, the golden light blooming again, with green starlight enveloping her hand, extinguishing the burning red flame.

Huh?

What…

I lifted my right hand and held it up in front of my eyes.

The arm encased in black armor, originally as hard as stone, seemed to be melting, moving like flowing water, with bright red patterns appearing one by one, flashing with a bloody crimson glow, flickering like breath.

Sizzling—

Sparks floated out from the patterns and drifted away.

What is this…

My confusion deepened.

“Xilviga… concentrate… don’t get… you’ll die…”

Margaret was still shouting loudly at me.

I couldn’t hear clearly, but I tried to force myself to stand up. However, my limbs felt as soft as mud, unable to move at all. The burning sensation in my body intensified, my consciousness more hazy, waves of extreme fatigue washing over me.

Want to sleep…

Doesn’t it happen every time after eating? What’s wrong with me…

Eyes kept drooping, feeling like I couldn’t hold on any longer. I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out. I tried hard to look at Margaret and extended my finger, slowly pointing toward the distant location of the old duke.

I hoped she could understand my meaning…

Suddenly, in the corner behind the street, a glaring white light seemed to appear.

That was…

Before my hazy consciousness could react, that white light instantly arrived beside me.

A miracle.

I widened my eyes.

Damn…

Boom—!

The explosion created a massive wave that instantly engulfed Margaret, the old duke lying far away, and everything on the street, leaving only the dazzling white light.

The tremendous impact sent me flying high into the air, tracing an arc.

Bang! Boom—

After smashing through a broken stone wall, I crashed into a house by the roadside.

Tiles and debris rained down from above, choking dust almost suffocating me. A large rock pressed on my leg. Due to the armor’s protection, I felt no pain, and I probably wasn’t injured, though my consciousness became increasingly muddled.

Which idiot doesn’t let people sleep…

I felt a bit angry.

After a moment, as the dust gradually dissipated, I took a deep breath, straightened up, and tried to see if I had the strength to move the stone slab pressing on my leg. However, a sudden wind howled from the front.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

Ugh! I’m so annoyed!

My body instinctively dodged, but my limp limbs were useless, and I couldn’t even release the dead smoke.

In the next moment, three holy spears shot towards me with hurricane force.

I can’t dodge…

Boom—boom—boom!

In an instant, Margaret’s pure figure suddenly flashed in the golden light, blocking in front of me. A faint light barrier unfolded ahead, and the three holy spears collided with it. The impact made the holy maiden stagger backward.

Immediately after, green grass began to spread and expand from under her, and in an instant, silver-white flowers bloomed all over half of the collapsed house.

Margaret turned her head and said something to me.

But I couldn’t hear a word.

In the next moment, she waved her arm, and several thick thorny vines broke through the ground, twisting their bodies to climb up the stone wall. Branches intertwined, forming thick, green ropes, crisscrossing within sight, continuing to grow and spread… until they completely sealed off the small space around us.

At the last moment when the vines completely closed off, the holy maiden’s graceful figure rushed out of the light.

Darkness enveloped everything.

Only the blazing patterns on the armor reflected crimson flames, flickering in the ruins.

That annoying woman wants to protect me…

I don’t need it…

I…

My consciousness fell into chaos.

…………

Bang—

Suddenly, a huge, muffled sound woke me up, and I reflexively got up from the ground, rubbing my sore eyes. After a short while, I felt my consciousness slowly return to my body.

“Ah~”

I yawned.

Thud!

In the darkness, the sound came again, as if some force was fiercely colliding with the vine wall in front. The ground trembled slightly, accompanied by the “whoosh” of many green branches snapping abruptly, letting light shine in.

It’s so blinding…

I raised my hand to shield my eyes.

Thud! Bang!

The loud noise echoed in my ears.

After a few more hits, “Boom!” countless broken branches burst open before my eyes, streaking across my face and flying behind me, and a figure appeared in the glaring light.

I frowned impatiently.

“Who is it…”

Then, without thinking, I gently swung my right arm, and a surge of dead smoke erupted from beneath me, rushing towards the other person.

Buzz…

A flash of golden light, and the figure disappeared.

…Huh?

The dead smoke returned fruitlessly, re-entering my body. I held my right hand in front of my eyes, slowly clenching it twice, and tilted my head in confusion.

The chaotic power can be used now…

Have those powers… been completely consumed by me?