The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v3c96p1

Chapter 96: Only Death Remains p1

Kingdom of Ember of Silent Demise.

The Authority wielded by Luo Ling, derived from her Puppet Ballad and Blood Lord abilities.

Everything around them instantly turned gray, colors fading, until all that remained was a scene like a black and white photograph.

Except…

For a touch of sharp crimson.

Amidst the morbidly pale hair, a few crimson streaks appeared, and a cloyingly sweet scent suddenly filled the dry air, a heart-pounding temptation.

Those with weaker wills would be driven by this strange and grotesque aura, their bloodlust rising, their rationality fading, until Puppet Ballad’s “Complete Control” took effect, completely dragging them into the abyss.

Of course, for Chou Ke, currently at his peak, this influence was insignificant.

But… what if he was injured?

Looking at Luo Ling and Xuanyuan E, Chou Ke’s pupils constricted, and he sighed softly.

“Indeed, I should have guessed… the White Witch in the rumors is also you…”

As if thinking of something, he suddenly chuckled and continued, “But what still surprises me, Miss Luo Ling, is… who spread the rumors about you being a cruel and ruthless demon?”

Chou Ke’s judgment of character was rarely wrong, and he had only met Luo Ling a few times.

And this mysterious girl named Luo Ling, her purity was so dazzling that Chou Ke, without any hesitation, had already determined her true nature.

However…

“If the White Witch was truly as cruel and ruthless as the rumors say, it would be better…”

Chou Ke shook his head, a complex regret in his eyes.

These murmurs weren’t meant to mock Luo Ling’s purity, but his genuine thoughts.

If the White Witch wasn’t kind, if she was sufficiently selfish, Chou Ke could confidently entrust the responsibility of “grave keeper” to her, and he wouldn’t have to embark on this path of no return.

Zi Ke, and even the other Messengers… which one of them wasn’t cruel? Which one of them wasn’t ruthless?

So what?

After Doomsday arrived, regardless of their past nature, it would be irrelevant.

“Let me see what you’re capable of, White Witch, and… Little Sister Yin, Xuanyuan E.”

Chou Ke put his hands behind his back, his hunched body straightening slightly.

“With the accumulated power of the Doomsday Messengers over countless years, defeating you… isn’t difficult.”

Countless Doomsday branch stations emerged from the edge of the void. These special territories were the Doomsday Messengers’ most solid foundation, not just serving as “tombstones,” but also as terrifyingly powerful weapons.

As for the function of “tombstones” after they were used as weapons…

Actually, the true purpose of the “tombstones” was to be revealed after Doomsday’s arrival.

And at that time, everything in the world would have turned into nothingness, all physical objects gone, so it was impossible to record the traces of civilization with physical objects. They used the concept of Doomsday itself.

Once established, as long as there were still “grave keepers” among the Doomsday Messengers to maintain these concepts, they would never disappear, only gradually merging with Doomsday’s nothingness.

In other words, using Doomsday branch stations as weapons was equivalent to bringing forward the arrival of Doomsday.

Of course, the price wasn’t small. These branch stations, built with countless resources, were meant to collect the traces of star civilizations, recording them with the concept of Doomsday.

If used as weapons, they could no longer fulfill this purpose, an almost extravagant waste of resources.

However, at this point, there was no other choice.

As the creator of these special territories, the “tombstones,” Chou Ke had control over all Doomsday branch stations, although he usually delegated this authority to other Messengers. Now, with the final battle imminent, Zi Ke’s whereabouts unknown, and Yin Ke’s betrayal, all branch stations, including headquarters, were once again under his control.

Chou Ke stood at the edge of the void, hovering in mid-air. Several massive Doomsday branch stations fell from the sky, bringing a heavy nothingness and loneliness as they pierced through the sky, like the arrival of Doomsday.

One could imagine the hellish scenes the origin point factions faced when encountering this unknown terror.

Luo Ling and Mao Ke’s previous attack was on the uninhabited present world of the Kingdom of Qing Qiu, preventing a tragic outcome.

Otherwise…

“Using the concept of Transcendence to create Doomsday…”

Witnessing the falling Doomsday branch stations, Luo Ling could sense the essence of these “tombstones.”

Chou Ke, a Doomsday Messenger walking the path of Transcendence, utilizing his understanding of both Transcendence and Doomsday, spent countless efforts to create these miraculous constructs.

They could serve as territories hidden in the void, preserve the traces of star civilizations, and even be used as powerful weapons in the final battle.

It could be said that it was Chou Ke’s existence that made “grave keepers” possible. This was his life’s work, his lifelong obsession.

Chou Ke couldn’t tolerate failure.

Even if he was facing Xuanyuan E, whom he once treated as a daughter, and perhaps the world’s most fragile hope, he couldn’t retreat.

Even if… it meant destroying this sliver of hope.

In this irreversible despair, this sliver of hope was the most terrifying existence.

“Little Sister Yin, you chose your path, and I’m happy for you, but… I also have my reasons for doing this.” Chou Ke closed his eyes slowly and murmured in his heart, “This is… the end.”

The unstable void, along with the falling “tombstones,” tried to erode this barely reclaimed Boundary again.

“…Elder Chou… is truly strong.”

Facing the falling Doomsday branch stations, Xuanyuan E’s eyes flickered, but the sharp sword intent in her eyes didn’t weaken.

She had rarely seen Chou Ke in action, because among the three original Messengers, Chou Ke was mainly responsible for logistics.

Zi Ke managed the entire Doomsday Messengers organization, Chou Ke focused on studying the traces of star civilizations, and Yin Ke was their sharpest sword. The three original Messengers thus formed the most stable Twelve Hours of Doomsday, lasting until now.

Chou Ke, who rarely appeared, after the attack on headquarters, had to come out of seclusion with Zi Ke to stabilize the situation, his decisive actions suppressing the chaos and quickly restoring order within the Doomsday Messengers.

Even among the original Messengers, Chou Ke was one of the strongest. His unwillingness to seize the opportunity to become a “grave keeper” didn’t mean he wasn’t capable.

If it were in the void, if she were still the same as before, if…

No, there were no ifs.

Only the present.

The current her wasn’t any weaker than the past her, known as the Death God of the Void!

“This is Miss Luo Ling, the White Witch’s, domain of Authority…”

The girl gently embracing her from behind felt soft and weightless, like a thin veil, yet carrying a gentle warmth that penetrated the embedded puppet, reaching her original body.

What truly connected with her was the embedded puppet. Luo Ling temporarily imbued it with her Authority.

And the one controlling the embedded puppet was Xuanyuan E.

It could be said that the current Xuanyuan E, besides her lack of proficiency compared to Luo Ling, was essentially the same, no different from Luo Ling using the ability herself.

“……”

Xuanyuan E stood with her sword drawn, silent.

She raised her head slightly, her gray-white eyes staring at the falling “tombstones,” a surge of heroic spirit rising in her heart.

How long… had it been since she felt this surging emotion?

The past her, wielding the power of Doomsday, invincible in the void, was indeed powerful, but rarely experienced this true feeling of battle. Everything she faced simply annihilated silently, completely merging with nothingness.

Even when she single-handedly destroyed the Xuanyuan clan’s void battleship fleet that pursued her, she never faced them directly.

But she was a disciple of the Xuanyuan clan!

“I pledge my blood to the Xuanyuan clan.” Which Xuanyuan disciple didn’t yearn for a glorious battle?

As the massive and terrifying “tombstones” fell, Xuanyuan E slowly closed her eyes, an almost imperceptible smile appearing on her usually stiff lips.

Yes…

This was the feeling.

Truly feeling the approach of death, not just waiting for despair in the dark loneliness.

This wasn’t the proper end for a Xuanyuan disciple.

Even in death…

She would die a glorious death!

“Where the Authority reaches is its Kingdom, and all those touched by the Authority are its servants.”

Authority, Kingdom.

The surrounding dim gray suddenly contracted, condensing into a single, intense line, no longer a spreading domain.

This was a completely different usage from Luo Ling’s, because in her hand, there was only a sword.

“You’ve crossed the line!”

Xuanyuan E opened her eyes, a burning flame seemingly igniting within her gray-white pupils. Her usually stiff and expressionless face now radiated a passionate fervor.

Using Kingdom as a sword, wielding the Emperor’s Authority as intent, she slashed towards the “tombstones.”

Instantly, several massive Doomsday branch stations, before this small figure, began to crumble, their collapsing fragments falling like rain, but unable to bring even a trace of nothingness to this Boundary.

The void spreading with the “tombstones” was forcibly stopped by this single sword strike.

This was Luo Ling’s Kingdom, wielded by Xuanyuan E, adding a noticeable darkness to the sky.

Her sword… cut through Doomsday.

Beyond the darkness, nothingness surged, but within the darkness, the scenery remained unchanged.

“The same Authority, in different hands… is truly worlds apart.”

Luo Ling, currently clinging to Xuanyuan E’s… or rather, the embedded puppet’s back, looked at the line of darkness in the sky, clicking her tongue in wonder.

Although she was the true wielder of the Kingdom Authority, she couldn’t do what Xuanyuan E just did, transforming the domain of Authority into sword intent, stopping the nothingness in the sky.

Luo Ling could, at most, use Kingdom to forcibly avoid the falling void currents.

To achieve this, both Xuanyuan E’s sword intent and Luo Ling’s Kingdom were essential.

Of course, this was only achievable with Kingdom. Luo Ling possessed more than just this one Authority.

“……”

Chou Ke silently watched this scene and sighed softly.

“The you from the past… has finally returned…”

The former Xuanyuan E, wielding the power of Doomsday yet not using it, single-handedly charging into the ascension ritual with just her sword, desperately seeking revenge for her friend’s death, how valiant she was.

But the result… was a crippled and tragic state, her five senses lost, her body broken, forced to wander the void.

He hadn’t expected to see this sword unsheathed again after so many years, its intent not dulled by time, but even sharper, and he couldn’t help but feel emotional…

However… emotions aside, Chou Ke’s actions didn’t stop. More Doomsday branch stations emerged from the void. The Doomsday Messengers were now cornered, and Chou Ke brought out all his resources.

If they lost this battle, there would be no more chances.

These “tombstones” weren’t directly used as falling weapons like before. Although this was the most direct method, the sword strike from Xuanyuan E had already proven its futility.