Chapter 299: Finishing Blow

Chapter 299: Finishing off the Stragglers

"The young master once described to us the scene he saw behind those three windows in the deepest depths of Ranyedal's 'brain' space. Tell me, doesn't the scene before our eyes look just like the one behind the third window?

Ranyedal suppressed the Sea God, and standing behind him was the God of Order.

Ranyedal, Kevin;

The Sea God, the followers of the Sea God Cult;

The God of Order...

This exact moment, that exact moment.

I must record this."

Alfred pulled out his notebook and began to record, not with words, but with a sketch.

Pu'er turned her head to see this and asked in bewilderment, "Radio Pixie, when did you learn to draw?"

"I started learning a long time ago, preparing for designing murals in the future."

"Oh-ho, according to your meaning, you also think Karen has some connection with the God of Order, yet he himself simply refuses to admit it."

"The young master is the young master, and the God of Order is the God of Order. I believe the young master knows exactly who he is, and there is no doubt about it. Because the origin of all thought begins with 'Who am I?'"

"So, it's all a coincidence? Then why have there been so many coincidences?"

"Because Master Dis was an Inquisitor of the Order, because the Order was the first thing the young master came into contact with and became familiar with, and even more so because the path the young master ultimately decided to walk upon was the Path of Order.

It is not that the young master resembles the God of Order, nor is it that the young master has some connection to the God of Order—for instance, the concept of reincarnation in the Samsara Cult is something the young master has always disdained.

The reason why so many coincidences involving the God of Order happen to the young master is simply because the path the young master walks is the very path of Order itself.

It is not to say the young master resembles the God of Order. If we consider the God of Order as a 'position' rather than specifically referring to the one who established the Order in the last era, then the young master is merely walking the same path as that person.

They both strongly resemble the position of the 'God of Order,' and both approach this 'position,' rather than the young master having some past entanglement with the God of Order."

"Must have been hard on you to actually come up with a set of theories to explain it so clearly. But what if what you think is wrong?"

Alfred shook his head dismissively and said:

"Even if the young master really were the reincarnation of the God of Order, as long as the young master believes he is not, then he is not.

This question can be very complex, filling countless books and being debated for an entire era without reaching a true conclusion;

But this question can also be very simple, nothing more than the two sides of a coin, where a single flip can yield the answer."

"Coin flipping, what meaning is there in that?"

"Indeed, that is why the young master skipped the step of flipping the coin right from the very beginning."

Alfred put away his notebook, turned around, and faced another direction, where a group of Sea God Cult followers was currently rushing toward this place.

"Are you trying to help Karen hold them back?" Pu'er asked.

"I want to give it a try."

"But you forgot, when you helped Karen control that running lackey earlier, you couldn't even control him silently."

"Yes, that's true, but that was under the premise of being silent. Actually, if a scream or something is let out, at a time like this, it doesn't seem that important anymore."

"It seems you are very confident."

"Of course, I once fought Master Dis to a draw."

"Haha, meow."

"Heh." Alfred smiled as well, "It's been a long time since I've fought. Last time facing that successor of the tomb-guarding clan, we didn't actually end up fighting."

"Alright, Radio Pixie, I'll cheer you on."

"Thank you, beautiful Miss Pu'er."

Just then, signal flares were fired one after another into the sky, each flare bursting into a different pattern in the air, symbolizing the unique emblem of a different Whip of Order squad.

In truth, there were no restrictions on the emblems of the Whip of Order squads, and they could completely express their preferences freely.

When these signal flares were sent out, a sense of illusion that this island had already been completely surrounded by an unknown number of Whip of Order squads was immediately created.

As for the Sea God Cult crowd rushing toward this place, except for their leader, "Dart," who continued to advance here, everyone else changed directions and ran toward the pier.

Pu'er spoke up, "I bet that Captain ordered them to be fired. I am not at all surprised that Captain has so many signal flares of different Whip of Order squads on him."

Alfred nodded and said, "I think so too. Alright, I'm going down."

"Be careful."

"It's fine, there are many ways to obstruct someone. I will choose the safest one."

After saying that, Alfred's figure dropped down, the redness in his eyes not a burning blood-red, but a rich, deep hue like red wine.

Dart stopped his footsteps, looking at Alfred while simultaneously reaching behind his back to draw a blue longbow.

The two had no exchange whatsoever. Very quickly, Dart drew his bow and notched an arrow, and an invisible yet tangibly existing arrow composed entirely of water mist flew toward Alfred.

Alfred shifted his body to dodge, but that arrow turned around in an instant, directly piercing through Alfred's body from behind.

Alfred clutched his chest as blood gushed out, and he sank down onto one knee.

"Heh..."

Dart put away his longbow and continued to move forward; he needed to meet up with Ino. The people from the Order had arrived much faster than imagined, and they had to transfer immediately.

However, just as Dart's figure passed right by Alfred's side, out of the corner of Dart's eye, he saw the man who had been shot by him and was kneeling on the ground waiting for death—his body was melting away.

Immediately afterward, Alfred's figure appeared in front of Dart, his eyes seemingly capable of swallowing all light, creating a patch of despairing darkness.

"Illusion?"

Dart's eyes narrowed, and the figure of a noble woman appeared behind him, providing him with mental protection.

Alfred did not choose to seize the opportunity to launch an attack, even though it was a very good opportunity. Without hesitation, he chose to retreat, pulling open the distance once again.

Dart drew his bow and notched an arrow again, aiming at Alfred.

"Swoosh!"

The arrow shot out, carrying terrifying power.

But Alfred's figure dissipated once more at this exact moment, and then re-solidified in another position.

The two sides continued to toss back and forth like this for several rounds, and time gradually slipped away.

There were many ways to obstruct someone, and Alfred had no intention of defeating this person from the very beginning. Therefore, he had no desire to attack at all; he merely treated himself as a fly, spinning around Dart with a "buzz buzz buzz."

Of course, precisely because Alfred had never launched an attack, Dart dared not lower his guard even more, subconsciously assuming that the opponent was waiting for an opportunity to strike a fatal blow.

If Dart had been a bit more courageous and forcefully tried to rush through, he would likely have discovered that besides using illusions, this mysterious man's attacks before him could not even break the Sea God Armor on his body.

But under this kind of situation, fleeing and evacuating had already become the main theme for the Sea God Cult's side. Dart did not have the courage to put all his eggs in one basket, because being heavily injured at this time could mean that he would be unable to escape the encirclement of the Order next.

On the rooftop, Pu'er sat on the shoulder of her puppet, while the puppet's hand still held Mister Kevin.

"Heh, so this is the safest way the Radio Pixie talked about..."

Pu'er controlled her puppet to open its hands, releasing two balls of fire that spun around its body, which caught Dart's attention.

Dart saw standing on the distant rooftop a girl, and beside the girl were two existences like ghost fires spinning back and forth around her.

Her gaze, her demeanor, the mere presence of her standing there, cast a profound pressure over Dart.

It was hardly surprising; as a former genius powerhouse, Pu'er had no need to imitate anyone; she merely had to "be herself" to evoke such an aura.

Even if the current Pu'er could only utilize a few basic arrays and conjure a handful of fireballs, her sole battle achievement thus far was burning a golden retriever's head bald.

At that moment,

Pu'er, leaning into a lazy and impatient tone, called out:

"Alfred, how much longer do you intend to play around?"

Alfred caught her meaning instantly and replied, "It is nothing. The game has only just begun."

Immediately following his words,

Alfred snapped his fingers, and a rhythmic cadence instantly echoed from all around.

"My dear gentleman, which melody do you prefer?

This one?

Or perhaps this one?

Please listen carefully and make your choice well, for it shall be used as the theme song at your funeral."

Cold sweat had already begun to seep through the bandages tightly wrapped across Dart's face.

……

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Kevin barked with immense enthusiasm, a bravado stemming from a deeply rooted confidence.

Yinuo extended both hands, and a pool of water manifested on the ground before him. A roar echoed from the depths of the puddle, and soon after, a sea wolf slowly rose from within. It possessed a colossal build; though its four limbs touched the ground, the distance from its head to the earth was a full five meters.

"Roar!"

"Woof!"

Despite the disparity in their sizes, Kevin showed not the slightest hint of stage fright, continuing his torrent of canine dialogue.

Finally, the sea wolf lunged forward.

Kevin raised his tail, bared his teeth, and made a show of rushing forward, yet he ultimately remained rooted to the spot.

Karen’s figure flashed past, his sword slicing cleanly through the sea wolf's torso. The beast's body was severed into two halves, but with a fluidic, writhing motion, it seemed on the verge of healing.

However, Karen did not even look back; he simply reached a hand out behind him, unleashing a burst of Order Purification upon the sea wolf. The healing process was instantly shattered, and the creature dissolved into a puddle of foul-smelling seawater.

A blue barrier materialized beneath Yinuo’s feet, lifting his entire form into the air. He then waved his hands, and from all directions, sea pythons emerged, slithering forward to strangle Karen.

Chains of Order manifested beneath Karen’s feet, completely binding the sea pythons in an instant. As Karen clenched his fist, the pythons were entirely crushed and annihilated.

Looking up once more at the floating Yinuo, Karen could not help but find it somewhat amusing. In terms of combat, he had always considered himself rather cautious, yet who could have foreseen that today he would encounter someone even more prudent than himself.

Before long, however, Karen noticed something amiss.

The dissipation of the previous two spells had left the surrounding area heavily humid, and as Yinuo continued his chanting, countless dense lines of water suddenly materialized in the air, transforming in the blink of an eye into a crystalline grid.

A thick aura of sealing swept over him. Karen made a swift decision, slashing forward with his blade, yet the Sword of Alius—which had always proven invincible—failed to pierce the barrier before him. The original mist seemed to have transformed into a gelatinous substance at this moment, completely absorbing the force of Karen’s strike.

Yinuo continued his chanting, plumes of bloody mist rising from his body, signifying that this particular spell was far from ordinary.

The immense seal entrapping Karen was gradually contracting, a terrifying pressure bearing down from all directions, much like a leather ball being forcefully squeezed, with Karen positioned dead center within it.

"Woof!"

Kevin appeared somewhat anxious; he attempted to leap forward, but before he could even draw near, he was repelled by a flash of blue light, his body flying backward through the air.

Upon landing, he rolled along the ground and quickly stood back up, though he did not attempt a second charge, having done enough to show his intent.

Yinuo continuously reinforced the formation. He was well aware that the opponent before him was exceptionally formidable in close combat; although that prior sword strike had involved elements of disguise and a sneak attack, its sharpness had still left a deep impression on him, bordering on a psychological shadow.

Even now, the wound on his back throbbed with intense pain.

Yet Yinuo endured it through sheer will, intending to use spells, along with his own realm and accumulated power, to forcibly grind the opponent to death.

Karen ceased wielding the Sword of Alius, choosing instead to stand firmly in place. Ignoring the shifting, contracting water bubble around him, he called out to the floating Yinuo ahead:

"Do you no longer wish to know who I am?"

"No matter how grand the secret, it is not more valuable than my life. I would rather choose to flee with regrets than die with full understanding."

"This island has already been surrounded by the Church of Order. You have nowhere to run; surrender."

"True believers of the Sea God can never comprehend the meaning of surrender. May you rest in peace; do you have any idea how much of my reserves of spiritual power I must sacrifice to slay you?

This is the ceremony I hold for you... a burial at sea!"

Without further dialogue or the opportunity for lengthy introductions, the blood from Yinuo’s body began to spill forth at an even faster rate, converging into a force that strengthened the sealing formation.

As the water bubble continued to compress, a terrifying sound of friction tearing through the air reached Karen’s ears. The pressure his body endured grew

Unperturbed by the chaos around him, Karen kept his gaze fixed solely on his opponent's heart.

When he had been applying the bloody lacquer to that black egg earlier, he had sensed a rhythmic pulsing. Was the ultimate purpose of this somatic transformation ritual practiced by the Church of the Sea God to evolve the heart?

If he wished to elevate the strength and echelon of his own Sea God's Armor, would he too need to subject his heart to a cycle of evolution?

Forget it.

Though Karen hungered for power, he had no desire to turn into a grotesque creature wrapped in bandages all day, only to run back to Allen Manor and ask Eunice, "Would you still be willing to be with me if I became like this?"

A duel that should have been magnificent had stubbornly devolved into a game of tug-of-war. Both sides had invested far too much weight into their respective spells; whichever spell collapsed first would suffer a terrifying backlash.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Each of Ino's heartbeats was so loud that it carried clearly to where Karen stood. Karen could sense that his opponent had reached his absolute limit, and his own arms were finally growing weary.

The phantom image of Pu'er materialized behind Karen.

……

In the distance, Pu'er, who was watching Alfred continue his psychological games with Dart, suddenly knitted her brows:

"Hiss, why is it so itchy?"

……

The phantom of Pu'er behind Karen possessed a hollow gaze. She raised her arms, chanting the name of the First Ancestor Allen in the unseen ether, bestowing her blessing and transformation upon Karen.

Ino gasped in disbelief, "The family belief system of the Woods?"

As the Sea God's Armor coalesced upon Karen's body,

He intoned in a deep voice, "Freeze!"

The water-aspected power of the First Ancestor Allen manifested, merging directly into the water bubble, which instantly froze. The already immensely strained bubble behaved like red-hot iron plunged into cold water, instantly fracturing into cracks.

The two deadlocked forces finally lost their equilibrium, a beam of light flashed, and a horrific explosion erupted!

"Boom!"

Ino felt his very soul twist as his consciousness plunged into chaos, his body blown flying by the shockwave of the explosion.

At that moment, Karen's figure appeared above him. The Sea God's Armor originally clinging to his body had shattered long ago during the blast, but Karen had forced himself here by riding the concussive momentum of the explosion.

Raising the Sword of Arius, he thrust it straight down toward Ino's heart.

"Pfft!"

The greatsword pierced through Ino's body, linking the two men together by a single blade as they plummeted, finally crashing into the ground.

Ino lay flat, while Karen knelt on one knee, his hand propping up the hilt of the sword.

Suddenly, a wave of sweetness welled up in his throat, and a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from Karen's mouth, his hand involuntarily slipping from the hilt.

Right then, the golden retriever bolted forward, leaping into the air. The canine jaws clamped onto the hilt mid-air, the momentum of its body driving the greatsword embedded in Ino's chest to twist violently, completely shredding Ino's heart;

The final lethal blow was delivered.