Chapter 66: Standing Side-by-Side
The war was escalating. In just a few days, the Abyssal Demon Realm had mobilized nearly eighty percent of its forces, a tide of darkness sweeping across Solor.
Perhaps some had initially hesitated, but now, to remain on the sidelines was to cede victory to the others.
The demon legions were in a frenzy, a storm of blood and slaughter.
Besides the still-inactive Vampire Knights, every other demon legion had now entered Solor.
From above, one could see the purple-black corruption spreading across the land, already consuming a third of the continent.
Although its advance was slowing, it showed no signs of stopping.
“Good. Everything is proceeding as planned, smoothly…”
Elthorp, who had been guarding the heart of the Abyss, stood up, his gaze fixed on the distance. “And now, I can finally face you, Miss Bai.”
In the distance, two small figures were approaching the gray hall.
As they drew closer, the sealing ritual pulsed with a strange energy, a resonance.
And the crimson chains binding the hall floated up, as if in welcome.
Yes, not just Bai. Everyone, including Shaya, had overlooked Ara.
Ara, a weapon created by Neily to spare Bai her tragic fate, a being forged from the knowledge of the Place of Divine Advent, and a single drop of Bai’s own essence.
She had been born to take Bai’s place, to face the final end. But in the end, Neily had realized that no matter what she did, the outcome would be the same.
And so, she had let go, had said her final goodbye at Saint Noyes, leaving the choice to Bai.
But that didn’t mean Ara was useless.
She was a fusion of the ancient empire’s most advanced biotechnology and the mysterious rituals of the Place of Divine Advent, and most importantly, a part of Bai herself.
Her potential was immense, a potential few in even the golden age of the Place of Divine Advent could match.
Of course, her emotional instability was a major flaw, a flaw that still had no solution.
But with Bai’s essence, she could also influence the Abyssal Lord, though not as strongly as Bai.
And the sealing ritual, sensing their approach, began to stir.
At the same time, in the gray hall, Queen Shaya also looked up, a look of confusion on her face as she looked in their direction.
“You’re quite a terrifying being, Miss Bai,” Elthorp said, looking at the pulsating sealing ritual, his resolve hardening. He could not let her reach the Place of Divine Advent.
“As promised, Sir Elthorp,” Bai said, leading Ara towards the gray hall, her steps unhurried.
She offered a polite salute.
“You seem… different from your time in the Frigid Lands. Stronger?” he asked, his gaze fixed on her, his voice low. “No, not stronger… you seem to have found… your ‘resolve.'”
“‘Resolve’ is a word for others. I haven’t changed. I just have more to do,” she said, taking the longsword from her back and plunging it into the ground.
It hummed, a long, clear note that seemed to pierce the very heavens.
He recognized the sword. His Evil Blade Legion had been crushed by the Vampire Knights long ago, and he remembered their Knight Commander, Vivian.
Even now, he wasn’t certain he could defeat her.
Seeing the sword, he was silent for a moment. “You should have listened to her. You should have remained in your slumber. It would have been better for everyone.”
“But not for Ara,” she said, her voice firm. “And not for me. I cannot accept such an outcome.”
“Ara? You mean the little girl beside you?” he glanced at Ara, then dismissed her. “Perhaps you have some… twisted affection for her. That’s normal. But for your feelings, to make everyone else pay an unacceptable price, is that normal?”
“Sir Elthorp, you are very good at twisting words. You almost sound reasonable. I can’t argue with you,” she said, gripping the longsword, a silver-white flame erupting from her. “So there’s no need to talk anymore. We both know what we want. You have your plans, and I have my ‘resolve.'”
“This is my decision, and my choice. No matter the outcome… I will continue, always, to walk this path.”
“I don’t want to fight you, Miss Bai. Your power is too great. A single misstep, and everyone will be plunged into an abyss from which there is no return.”
He drew the Evil Blade from his spine, and it dripped with blood. “But I am not afraid to fight you. To be honest, unless you want to awaken the Abyssal Lord right here, right now, you are no match for me.”
So close to the sealing ritual, if Bai were to use her [Rebirth from Death], then even Shaya, sacrificing her own life, wouldn’t be able to maintain the seal.
Bai wanted to face the Abyssal Lord, but not now, not here. She had to do it in the Place of Divine Advent.
And Elthorp’s assessment was correct. As long as she didn’t use the Abyssal Lord’s power, her own destructive power was not enough to threaten him.
He was a World Ender, and she, without her special abilities, was only at the mid-level Calamity Class.
The silver-white flame around her was almost identical to the one Shaya had possessed when she had fallen into the Abyss, but Bai’s was her own, while Shaya’s had been a taint from the Place of Divine Advent.
“You’re right. I don’t think I’m a match for you either,” she said, gripping the longsword, her dark-gold eyes burning with a golden flame, the flame spreading to the blade. “But I’m not fighting alone. And you’re not just facing me.”
“I carry the hopes of Sister Neily, the hatred of Ice Lily, the rage of Green Lolita, the sorrow of Zi, the resentment of Shaya…”
“And Ara, who fights by my side.”
