In mid-air, Bologue was like a target. He tried again to throw out a grappling hook and Silver Hand to move quickly, but this opponent was different from Fast. This time, the enemy’s speed was far greater than his own, and almost in an instant, a sharp pain came from his chest.
Bologue was slammed hard to the ground, impaled by several wooden spears. Being pierced and nailed down was not the end; these roots actually used his flesh as a foundation and began to grow wantonly.
The extending roots drilled into his flesh, took root underneath, and quickly grew. Vines wrapped around Bologue, sharp thorns scraped against his skin, absorbing his blood, and bloom scarlet flowers.
This time, Bologue was careless. More than one King’s Shield Guard was deployed. As he engaged Fast, other reinforcements were also converging here.
Indeed, when I reverse time the fourth time, I should be faster. Try to find a way to kill Fast instantly on meeting, so Bologue can continue to pursue Aimou and avoid these enemies.
Above the mist, a dark shadow emerged, followed by a long bridge woven of branches descending.
In Gold’s eyes shone the glow of Ether, as he leisurely walked towards Bologue from the long bridge. The roots lifted Fast’s corpse, bringing it before Gold.
He glanced at his dead colleague, then at the bound Bologue, feeling somewhat puzzled.
"Did you kill him?" Gold asked.
"I suppose besides me, there should be no one else here, right?" Bologue taunted.
Gold’s expression was indifferent. He glanced at Fast’s pale face, waved his hand casually, and the roots tossed Fast’s body into the mist below. Thɪs chapter is updated by ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt
"How heartless." Bologue sneered.
Gold replied nonchalantly, "As a Prayer Believer, to be killed by a Condenser like you... he disgraced the Shield Guard title."
Shield Guard? King’s Shield Guard?
Bologue stared intently at Gold, completely ignoring the increasing severity of his wounds.
The King’s Shield Guard, a group that splintered from the King’s Secret Sword. Regarding them, even the Order Bureau knows little.
Fortunately, after the surprise attack on the meeting venue, under Yas’s guidance, the Sixth Group captured a Negative Power User from the King’s Shield Guard, the one like a Flame Demon, Nade.
The Crow’s Nest interrogated him overnight, but this Negative Power User’s thoughts were protected by some contract’s power, hard to break, just like the Contractor Bologue and Gray encountered before.
The only useful intelligence obtained from Nade was that these King’s Shield Guards do not consider themselves to have betrayed the Kagader Empire.
The King’s Shield Guards believe the current King of Slaughter is a false king, and they support the true king.
Gold looked disdainfully at everything, his voice cold, "A weakling like him is not worthy to serve our king."
"What do you all consider yourselves to be... fanatics?" Bologue continued to mock.
Gold frowned. Suddenly, extreme pain erupted within Bologue’s body as the roots, worm-like, slowly extended within him.
Bologue’s hands trembled with pain but he forced a smile.
Judging by Gold’s Ether intensity, he was also a Prayer Believer, but compared to Fast, his Ether intensity was much stronger, seemingly close to reaching the tier of a Negative Power User.
Bologue endured the intense pain coming from his body, strategizing in his mind.
The opponent seems to be from the Illusion Creation sect, capable of conjuring these massive tree roots from nothing. In this complex terrain of the Great Rift, Gold’s Secret Energy is very useful, easily connecting various perilous places with the long bridge he creates.
How many members are there in the King’s Shield Guard?
Bologue wasn’t sure, but judging by their setup, they didn’t fear being noticed by the Order Bureau, or perhaps for their goal, they would even risk being noticed to fulfill it.
What do these King’s Shield Guards want with the Immortal Heart?
If it’s awakening the Calamity of the Abandoned Land, shouldn’t this task be handled by the Sect of Corruption?
In any case, the Great Rift may now have many King’s Shield Guards present, and with only his own strength, it’s clear he can’t fight them all, especially as they continue to hunt Aimou.
In that case, when I reverse time the fourth time, I’ll need some allies to help me.
But who can I turn to?
That Belli trusted me so readily already seems like a miracle, other people...
Bologue’s thoughts cleared up. He realized he was trapped in a misconception, doubting others before even trying to seek help, and this should not be the case.
Then Bologue recalled the last time he saw Aimou, what she told him, and the dilemma of choice.
Aimou, you feel the same way, don’t you?
You’re afraid of rejection, so you simply don’t reach out to anyone.
No... it shouldn’t be this way.
If you don’t try, nothing will happen.
Thinking of this, a difficult-to-describe anger surged within Bologue’s heart. He didn’t know why he was angry, but he was furious, wanting to shatter this awful situation completely.
The branches and vines rooted in his body tensed and were then snapped one by one, large swathes of blood spilled from Bologue’s body.
His abdomen turned into a mass of filthy blood, and something unclear if intestines or roots hung down, swaying slightly.
Bologue’s gaze seemed somewhat unexpected. He hadn’t anticipated that under these circumstances, Bologue still had the strength to resist him. He raised his hand, ready to kill Bologue completely.
Within Bologue’s angry eyes, there was hidden expectation. He was expecting Bologue to kill him.
Now Bologue’s condition was dire; instead of natural healing, he preferred to reset himself directly through death, there was still a chance to catch Bologue off guard.
Bologue excelled at such feigning tactics, deceit within deceit, and this was how Fast had died at his hands.
Then... he needed to make the act even more convincing.
The Deceitful Snake Scale Liquid was fully released, a multitude of Silver Snakes rapidly proliferating under the effect of Ether, like silver-white limbs emerging from beneath Bologue’s sleeves.
It was soft like liquid, but as it swung, the edges would solidify into blades, cutting all these roots and branches.
The severed branches weren’t completely dead, and from the smooth broken surfaces, new, split branches grew quickly, wrapping around Bologue.
But by now Bologue had started moving, charging towards Gold.
Gold maintained his lofty attitude, lightly waved his hand, causing the ground to crumble, and a surge of branches rose from the ground, aiming to wrap around Bologue.
But this time, they couldn’t catch up with Bologue. A sudden bright blue light trail appeared, fully unleashing Ethereal Amplification, Bologue moved fast like a shadow, leaving behind all branches attempting to stop him.
Gold’s expression finally changed slightly. It wasn’t that he felt threatened by Bologue, but he was shaken by Bologue’s actions.
Under such severe injuries, every step Bologue took accelerated his own death, large swathes of blood oozed out, internal organs tangled together... he was now completely relying on the power of Condenser; otherwise, in a mortal’s shell, Bologue would have already fallen.
"Not bad, you have the qualifications to serve our King, what a pity..."
Even in this situation, Gold was still making meaningless laments.
The swarm of snakes coalesced into a long sword in Bologue’s hand, and he swung the blade towards Gold, while the silver-white limbs behind him, like another arm of Bologue, also fiercely smashed towards Gold.
The soft limbs instantly solidified into a door-like silver-white Great Sword, enough to sever a monster’s head, raising a piercing whistle, delivering a silver-white judgement down on Gold.
Behind Gold, the wooden Long Bridge had long since vanished, roots extended from the other side, lifting Gold’s body to dodge Bologue’s slash.
Clearly, Gold’s Secret Energy range greatly surpassed Bologue’s, he was like a wildcat playing with a mouse, but this mouse wouldn’t give up easily.
In Gold’s eyes, all of Bologue’s actions were the desperate struggle before death, Bologue suddenly leaped, attempting to catch up with Gold, as the two nearly confronted, Bologue heard a booming sound, and then the world spun around him.
When Bologue regained consciousness, he found himself on the ground, his ears filled with a shrill buzzing.
The buzz gradually subsided, Bologue vaguely heard footsteps with another person approaching, Bologue turned his head, catching a blurry glimpse of his figure.
He conversed with Gold, "Beware of his self-sacrifice retaliation."
Gold nodded, this pompous guy unexpectedly heeded someone else’s advice, then the person looked at Bologue.
He said, "Fantasy Species has been retrieved, quickly kill him, so we can regroup."
Under the man’s orders, Gold raised his hand, the thick roots wrapped around Bologue once more.
Bologue’s eyes widened, not because he was dying, nor because the man was special, but for what he was holding.
Though it was in terrible condition, Bologue recognized her at first glance.
"Aimou..." Bologue’s voice trembled.
The other seemed to hear Bologue’s voice, the silhouette with only half a body slowly lifted its head, the exquisite face returned to its awful state.
Aimou looked aimlessly at Bologue, on her chest, the luminous, bizarre tumor kept flickering.