Chapter 372: Sparks
Winston wasn't able to react in time as he reached out and only grabbed at air. Only his fingertips had managed a slight brush with the girl's red hair.
"Melissa!" Winston shouted as he chased after her. However, reemerging tentacles once more halted his advance and forced him to deal with them first.
Moreover, a scary phenomenon had occurred. Humanoid forms rose up from the muddy ground and were pouncing on the living. These were the remnant souls and lingering resentment of Corpse Devouring Sect members that had died and were sacrificed. Now, they were being condensed back into form by the newly Supreme-rank Wilde.
"Damn it!"
Winston couldn't help but curse. He had killed those wraiths, only to discover that the path Melissa had previously cleared was now blocked by tentacles once more and the expanding domain was still approaching.
He could only watch helplessly as the tiny flames in the distance were forced to retreat by the enemies all around.
Winston took a deep breath and felt that this was utterly ridiculous. "This father and daughter... are just so f*cking alike! I don't care! Go ahead if you want to save the world! Such eagerness to seek death..."
Still cursing, he turned to leave. But after two steps, he couldn't help glancing back.
Please, come back alive...
——
Melissa tightened her grip on her sword as her rapidly changing field of vision narrowed.
Her gaze was locked firmly on the cluster of white flames glowing within the darkness. Pressing forward, she broke through all obstructions in her path, leaving a distinct streak of fire in the darkness.
Unlike Joseph's flames of pure white, the raging flames on Melissa's body were crimson like the rays of a setting sun. It was impossible to discern if this color came from her hair, aether, or her fading life...
Krackk...
Melissa could hear the sound of her bones breaking and her skin shattering. This was a pain that the will of an ordinary person wouldn't be able to bear. She could only give her all and grit her teeth—which she could no longer tell if she had any because her body was already burning away.
But at the same time, the Law she had obtained through 'door key' became clearer.
The birth of a new domain required comprehension and construct, which was to Supreme-ranks, a long process.
However, in this battle, Wilde had gained enough understanding about 'Eventuality' via the deaths and sacrifices of Corpse Devouring Sect members to have taken the lead.
On the other hand, Joseph was still missing the final piece of the puzzle.
And now, Melissa, who had mastery of sources of knowledge and the ability to learn at super speeds, had obtained this final puzzle piece from her father, the man who stood at the apex of the concept of 'knight.'
Now, I just need to convey this understanding to my father… Melissa thought.
Wilde's newly formed domain had expanded to cover close to the entire battlefield and was about to reach the barriers of the Dream Creator.
Once it reached the edges, the barrier would collapse and even the Dream Creator machines would be destroyed. And because there was presence of a Law, Secret Rite Tower might be caught within, let alone the city of Norzin which would be the first to bear the brunt.
Evidently, even as a Supreme-rank transcendent being, Wilde's strength was off the charts.
"Give up, Joseph."
From above, the face on Wilde's massive body revealed a mocking smile, the dark purple tentacles surging all over making for an abnormally hideous sight.
His voice reverberated through the battlefield. "You know very well that we were both chosen by Boss Lin... That is our fate. Like twins entangled in a mother's womb fighting for nutrients, only one of us can walk out of this battlefield alive.
"And the condition for survival is Boss Lin's objective of having us meet here. So that one will rise as a Supreme-rank."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
White flames continuously flickered and exploded all around Wilde's massive body. From a distance, it looked like a spectacle of tiny stars extinguishing.
It was the light from Joseph's aether colliding with Wilde's Law of 'Eventuality.'
"Haaaaaaaaaah—"
Veins all over Joseph's body were protruding as every single muscle of his bulged to the limit. Moving at high speed, he roared furiously and cut off parts of Wilde's body continuously as if he was a giant that just won't fall, yet at the same time like a candle flickering in the wind, on the brink of being extinguished.
After hearing Boss Lin's name, Joseph raised his head and looked up, his gaze sharp like a sword stabbing at Wilde's face.
"It's just that there's a difference between us." Wilde gave a gurgling laugh before continuing, "Boss Lin chose me to spread his gospel, whereas he chose you as a trial for me.
"This is a trial for me to overcome the past. Only by defeating the fear from my unsophisticated past would I be able to grow... Don't you think so too, Joseph?"
BAM!
Joseph was struck by a huge tentacle and was sent flying before hitting the ground and tumbling multiple times before finally stopping himself by sticking his sword into the ground.
The Great Radiant Knight raised his sword and stared calmly at Wilde before rushing up once more.
"That's a good look in your eyes." Wilde chuckled, "Want me dead? Then come at me. I won't kill you completely. Instead, I'll devour you and turn you into my nourishment... become a part of this evildoer."
He knew Joseph very well. Such an outcome would undoubtedly be more painful for him than dying, and it would allow the old knight to unleash his greatest strength.
Such actions differed from Wilde's usual style of craft and caution. But perhaps because victory was close at hand and having his power swell so abruptly, Wilde had a slight change in mentality.
On the other hand…
Wilde surveyed the entire battlefield once more.
Everywhere affected by his domain of ‘Eventuality’ had reached their final point.
At the end of it all, everything and anything would just end up being destroyed and broken down.
I have everything under control!
While Wilde had this thought, he suddenly frowned.
Traces of a red flame had appeared within the darkness of Eventuality.
This fire was clearly so weak, yet it couldn't be doused.
Little sparks, like fuses, were rapidly igniting and burning their way here.
"That is..." Wilde was near omniscient in his own domain. He could clearly sense the situation all around him and control everything within.
However, he realized that he couldn't not interfere with those sparks.
Wilde's eyes widened and he took a closer look, witnessing the broken and burning figure of a girl breaking through the seal of Eventuality and approaching him.
Joseph's... daughter? Melissa?
Wilden's pupils narrowed. He willed the surrounding Eventuality to press down on that girl, only to find that his domain wasn't effective!
Impossible! What is that?! That's... the aura of Joseph's Law?!
Although Wilde did not know what was happening exactly, he immediately understood that he absolutely couldn't let her come into contact with Joseph!
A wave of black annihilative substance instantly swarmed toward Melissa. This blackness represented the domain of Eventuality. Akin to demons baring fangs and brandishing claws, it was everywhere like a swarm of locusts, enveloping the flames and extinguishing the light.
But!
The current of darkness enveloped Melissa as if she was a pebble, yet in the next second, a steaming crack appeared on the surface of darkness, widening gradually before a red hot stream of flames erupted from it.
BOOM!
Wilde's Eventuality, that could annihilate everything, was cracked open like an egg—and flames hatched from it.
Melissa's lustrous red hair fluttered slightly in the blaze, blending with the burning flames and making her appear like a scarlet lotus blooming within hellfire. Tiny specks, that were the light of life, swirled around her, which was jarring in the pitch-black background.
Her skin had already been reduced to ashes and her body had practically turned into a ball of flame.
Only the girl's face remained as beautiful as ever, her green eyes clear and sparkling like gemstones.
"Melissa?!"
As Joseph, who had been sent flying once more, raised his sword to go again, he suddenly noticed the fire that had broken through the final layer of the domain of Eventuality. Then, he froze on the spot when he realized that it was his daughter who should have been far away from the battlefield.
His expression twisted hideously as he roared at the top of his lungs, "What are you doing here! Go back! Go back right now!!!"
Joseph tried taking a step forward, but staggered and fell to his knees due to injuries and coughed out blood. At the same time, his sword clattered to the ground.
Then, Joseph started to tremble violently. He was the owner of this Law. How could he not feel it? How could he not know...
The flames on Melissa's body were formed by burning her aether and life force.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Wilde continuously willed his tentacles and vast amounts of the annihilative darkness at Melissa, but they were incinerated by the flames on her body.
The girl's appearance could still be vaguely made out as the flames around her exploded and scattered over and over under the domain of Eventuality's barrage, teetering on the brink of collapse.
But regardless of how powerful these attacks were, Melissa's advance couldn't be halted.
She just looked at her father, dragging that heavy flame forward, and further forward.
The latter's eyes widened. He had completely lost his aura as the dependable Great Radiant Knight of the past. Right now, he was just an ordinary father staggering over and shouted soundlessly—His voice had also been swept away by the tides of Eventuality, turning into nothingness.
"Melissa!!!"
Joseph furiously tore apart everything that stood in his way. Finally, he arrived before the ball of flames and came to a stop.
Besides the dissipating halo of aether, only the beautiful outline of the young lady extending her hand stubbornly remained.
Joseph trembled as he spread his arms to embrace his daughter.
The flames collapsed upon contact.
At the same time, the incomplete Law became complete. The girl who had already exhausted her life force... turned into ashes.
And Joseph's outstretched arms caught nothing but these ashes.