pertwk Page 141
Page 141
Looking at the now empty, almost excessively clean space, a complex understanding flickered in her beautiful obsidian eyes. She seemed to understand; beneath the cold, indifferent exterior of her one and only supreme master lay a tenderness unique to a king. He wasn't engaging in meaningless slaughter; he was simply offering, in his own way, the most sublime funeral, filled with royal majesty, to those respectable departed souls.
……
Meanwhile, the two "local players" who had miraculously survived the desperate predicament were speechless with shock at the incredible sight before them, which was completely beyond their comprehension.
Zenin Maki struggled to sit up from the cold ground, her already broken body bearing the strain. Her usually resilient eyes, filled with defiance and resistance, were now etched with unprecedented confusion and self-doubt.
What did she see? She saw the powerful, top-tier cursed spirit that had driven them to the brink of despair, easily erased by that mysterious man as if crushing an ant. She saw the reliable, level-one sorcerer, Nanami Kento, always full of reason and responsibility, peacefully passing away with a satisfied smile under that man's grace. She even felt that her body, long since scorched by hellish flames, was being silently healed by the warm, golden afterglow filled with life and creation.
What is this? Is it an illusion? Or has he already died in that desperate battle, and all this absurdity is just a fleeting vision before his death?
Just then, Fushiguro Megumi, who had been unconscious, slowly opened his deep, weary eyes. The first thing he saw was the godlike black-haired man standing quietly in the center of the platform, and the petite black-haired girl he was protecting with absolute force behind him. His usually calm and rational mind instantly pieced together all the information.
"It was you..." he began with difficulty in a hoarse yet wary sorcerer's voice, "was it you who exorcised that top-tier cursed spirit?"
However, Gu Chuan didn't even glance at him. He simply turned around slowly, like an ordinary tourist who had just finished a leisurely sightseeing trip, and gave his only assistant the order to go home.
"Let's go, Zou. The play here is over, we should go to the next stage."
That attitude of absolute disregard, as if looking at two insignificant and filthy ants, instantly shattered Zenin Maki's last bit of pride as a strong person!
"Stop!" she roared hoarsely in resentment and anger! She struggled to her feet, her broken body still groaning violently, and stared intently at the tall figure that was about to leave with her eyes full of defiance and stubbornness!
"who are you?!"
Hearing the question, which sounded as powerless as an ant's, Gu Chuan slowly stopped in his tracks.
He didn't turn around, but merely turned his indifferent and handsome face slightly, glancing at her with his deep black eyes that seemed to see through everything.
Then, in a cold, emotionless tone, as if pronouncing a predetermined fate, he slowly said:
"It doesn't matter who I am."
"The important thing is that you are too weak."
"So weak that it doesn't even qualify to be an insignificant piece on my chessboard."
As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't linger. He and the petite, black-haired girl who had quietly followed behind him the whole time disappeared silently into the dark, bottomless subway tunnel, like two phantoms that had never appeared.
Only the two pathetic geniuses, utterly devastated by the absolute reality of the king's power, remained, stunned in place, while the final, compassionate pronouncement of a god from another world echoed in their ears.
267 The Elegy of the Forest
When Gu Chuan and Xiao Qi Kanade's figures completely disappeared into the dark subway tunnel, the two geniuses, who had been utterly devastated by the truth of the king, finally slowly recovered from their immense shock.
Looking at the now empty tunnel entrance, and then at Zenin Maki beside him, still breathing heavily with a complex expression, Fushiguro Megumi felt a profound sense of powerlessness for the first time. He knew that tonight, something had been completely changed, whether it was the rules of this world or their fragile pride as sorcerers.
……
Gu Chuan, leading Yoizaki Kanade, moved like two leisurely ghosts through the desolate streets of Shibuya, now a living hell. Burning ruins and congealed bloodstains surrounded them, the air thick with the stench of death. Yet, Yoizaki Kanade's heart, usually filled with unease and fear, was unusually calm at this moment.
She simply followed quietly behind that tall, reassuring figure. She watched him, in a way she couldn't comprehend yet which filled her with immense peace, silently reduce all the ugly monsters that tried to approach them to pure dust. She seemed to understand a little why the powerful family members in the apartment building willingly called this seemingly languid man their sole king. Because beside him, even in the deepest, coldest hell, one could still feel the absolute light capable of dispelling all darkness.
Just then, Gu Chuan slowly stopped.
They arrived at the edge of a vast central city park, a place that should have been brimming with nature and life. However, the park was now devoid of any peaceful atmosphere; instead, it was a massive, twisted, and murderous black forest of demons. Countless trees that should have been full of life had been corrupted and assimilated by a massive curse of nature's wrath, transforming into ferocious tree demons wielding sharp branches.
In the very heart of that demon forest, filled with murderous intent, a powerful, top-tier cursed spirit composed of the oldest and most resilient tree roots stood silently.
It is Hana-no-Kage, a supreme-grade cursed spirit born from the forest's fear and hatred of humanity. It is the great guardian who will use the most primal natural power to completely wipe all the filthy humans from this beautiful land.
It had already sensed the two uninvited guests. It cast its cold gaze, filled with both nature and killing intent, toward the seemingly ordinary black-haired human boy and the petite black-haired girl who exuded an aura that felt somewhat familiar yet also tinged with a sense of incongruity and sadness.
"Leave this place, humans," Hua Yu said slowly in an ancient, emotionless, neutral voice. "This is not a place for you. I can forgive your ignorance, as long as you haven't intentionally spread any malice. Now, leave immediately. Otherwise..."
Its enormous arm, made of the most resilient tree roots, slowly rose and aimed at the two tiny intruders.
"Stay here forever and become nourishment for this forest."
However, the response to his arrogant warning came not from any words of fear from Gu Chuan, but from an ethereal song filled with sorrow yet carrying a hint of strength.
It was Kanade Yoizaki. Looking at this solitary guardian, brimming with nature's fury and rage, at the forest writhing in agony, utterly twisted by hatred, her usually gentle heart, filled with sorrow, was stirred once more. She began to sing softly, a tuneless requiem only she could understand. The song offered no cheap comfort, but simply listened, in the most genuine and clumsy way, to the deepest, most ancient lament from the forest.
In that instant, Hua Yu's cold movements, filled with killing intent and anger, suddenly froze! Its solid core, composed of pure magical power, uncontrollably generated a faint yet incredibly real resonance! It understood, understood the purest and truest understanding contained in that discordant and sorrowful song.
However, just a second before its steadfast protective heart was cracked by the gentle singing, a bland, cold voice, as if already tired of this boring farce, suddenly rang out.
"What a lovely lullaby."
Gu Chuan slowly stepped forward. He looked at the pathetic guardian, who was immersed in a sorrowful song and had revealed a fatal flaw, and slowly shook his head. Then, he slowly raised the right hand of God, which represented domination and creation.
"Then sleep peacefully in your last dream, filled with nature and sorrow."
"The Dominator's life is stripped away."
He spoke slowly in a cold, calm tone, as if he were performing the most precise and silent surgery.
The next second, the most unbelievable scene occurred, causing the solid core of the Flower Empire to completely collapse! Its enormous body, composed of pure curse power and hatred, was forcibly disintegrated without warning, as if by an invisible divine hand from a higher dimension! The filthy curse filled with hatred was forcibly stripped away and erased, while the purest and most primal natural power from the forest was completely preserved!
In the end, the enormous monster transformed into an energy core filled with life and the breath of nature, radiating a soft emerald green light, which floated quietly in mid-air.
With a casual wave of his hand, Gu Chuan caused the emerald green energy core to silently merge into the painful Demon Forest, which had long been twisted by hatred, just like the gentlest and warmest spring rain.
The next second, a miracle happened.
The grotesque, twisted tree spirits slowly regained their original, vibrant state. Beautiful, unnamed white flowers bloomed profusely on the cold, blood-stained, dark ground. The entire terrifying Demon Forest, filled with death and murderous intent, miraculously transformed into a beautiful, tranquil moonlit courtyard brimming with life.
Gu Chuan gazed at the beautiful, vibrant scene before him and slowly turned around. He looked at the petite, black-haired girl who was looking at him with adoration, and a kingly, absolutely playful smile appeared on his face.
"Alright, Zou. Next, it's our turn to meet the last, and most interesting, little guy."