Chapter 201: Awakening and "Death"

Chapter 201: Awakening and "Death"

The two moved along the edge of the crystal platform. The closer they drew, the more intense the abnormal energy fluctuations became.

It was an indescribable chimera frequency—containing both the abyssal corrosiveness and an ancient, primal rhythm.

Eliot noticed the other's condition had subtly changed. His breathing rhythm quickened, his gaze sharpened to a razor edge, and his muscles tensed like drawn bowstrings. This subtle transformation might escape normal eyes, but to Eliot's perception, it was crystal clear.

As they neared the northwest corner of the platform, the energy fluctuations became violently intense.

The air carried a cloying, decaying chimera scent—a repulsive blend of rotting meat slathered with honey.

The corner was enclosed by massive crystal pillars, forming a semi-closed space. The crimson patterns on the pillars writhed like agitated serpents, occasionally spurting dark red liquid that left corrosive trails on the ground.

In the shadows, two twisted humanoids clung together—a grotesque, writhing meat mass. Their bodies were covered in purplish-black tissue, with tendril-like structures occasionally protruding to probe the air.

The surface of this monstrous flesh rippled like thick, viscous liquid, revealing glimpses of twisted faces beneath—agonized mouths opening soundlessly.

"Found them", Clone Luo En murmured hoarsely, a tremor barely detectable in his voice.

Suddenly, the writhing mass halted and slowly turned toward them.

As it shifted, Eliot finally saw its true form—a grotesque chimera of two human upper bodies fused by purplish-black organic matter. A male head and torso emerged from the left—handsome yet unnaturally pale; a female counterpart from the right—seductive but with inhumanly cold eyes. Below their fused chests, their bodies melted into a pulsating meat mass covered in tentacles and sucker-like organs.

"It's the Abyss Fusion Entity", Eliot gasped, recognizing the wanted faces. Their wanted profiles were already recorded in Crystal Spire. Just as the wanted notices described, they'd become terrifying aberrations—human features merely a thin veil over pure abyssal essence.

"Interesting", Clone Luo En said calmly, arms relaxed at his sides while Eliot sensed the mana gathering within him. "So these are the handiwork of the Abyss Eye. Using awakening beings to infiltrate the bloodline altar for final metamorphosis. Clever—using spatial anomalies to infiltrate."

The two fused faces turned simultaneously toward the voice. Four eyes locked onto Clone Luo En.

"Luo En... Lalf."

The voices chimeraed together, creating a chilling harmonic effect. "You interrupted our metamorphosis."

Aolifu's brow furrowed in confusion. "No... you're not Luo En." His eyes flashed black as his perception ability activated. "You're just a clone? But how is that possible?"

"Of course not him." Clone Luo En smirked, arrogance dripping from his tone. "I'm merely his projection in this trial—a clone."

"Clone?" Xin Xi Ya's face twisted unnaturally, her seductive features contorted. "Then why do you have consciousness? Why can you act independently? What exactly are you?"

Her voice brimmed with suspicion and caution, realizing this wasn't an ordinary clone.

Clone Luo En didn't answer, merely narrowing his crimson-gold eyes. "You interrupted your own metamorphosis to question me? Afraid to lose all progress?"

"It's already too late." Aolifu spat venomously. "We perceived extreme hostility and had to abort. Thought it was the real Luo En himself—never expected just a clone." His anger made the black liquid on the fusion entity surge violently.

"Wise choice." Clone Luo En nodded faintly. "After all, awakening beings are most vulnerable during metamorphosis. Like serpents molting—discarding old defenses while new ones haven't formed. During this phase, they're as fragile as hatchlings."

Eliot stood frozen, drenched in cold sweat. He could feel the tangible hostility in the air—a battle was imminent. His ears twitched constantly, tracking the energy fluctuations between the three parties and calculating potential combat trajectories.

"We thought it was the real one", Xin Xi Ya sneered. "Since it's just a clone, let's test our strength on you first!"

Her eyes gleamed with manic excitement, like an addict finally receiving their fix. "Since we were forced to interrupt metamorphosis, we might as well consume you and restart."

The meat mass erupted like boiling magma, enormous bubbles forming on its surface.

In the next instant, countless tentacles erupted from the mass, splattering purplish-black liquid as they lunged at Clone Luo En. The tendrils moved with astonishing speed and versatility—some sharpened into bone spines, others spat caustic acid from maw-like openings, while others bore eye-like structures, clearly possessing perception abilities.

As if anticipating this, Clone Luo En gracefully evaded while raising his hand. A flowing metal barrier materialized mid-air, intercepting another wave of tentacles.

The barrier's surface was mirror-smooth yet steel-hard. Each impact caused it to adaptively redistribute force perfectly. The corrosive tentacles hissed against it but failed to penetrate the seemingly fragile yet unyielding defense.

"Flowing Barrier... Hayaek taught that spell to the kid", Aolifu cursed. "The Holy Disk Master was right—the kid's dangerous."

His voice remained unnervingly calm despite his malicious glare. "Xin Xi Ya, stop wasting effort. This clone clearly inherited his traits. We need something more direct."

Clone Luo En didn't respond. Instead, he suddenly accelerated like a ghostly specter, weaving through the tentacle storm toward the entity's core. His movements left afterimages, each step precisely calculated to avoid all possible attacks.

"Sound Wave Oscillation Erosion State!"

Inaudible ripples burst from his palm, carrying eerie whispers. The syllables belonged to no language Eliot recognized, yet carried ancient, cosmic power.

Instantly, the flesh mass erupted with black spots where purplish-black liquid oozed from cracks. The Abyss Fusion Entity screamed in agony, its chimeraed voices filled with rage and disbelief. The mass instinctively recoiled, tentacles retreating inward to protect its core area.

"You think only you can use ancient languages?" Aolifu's voice warped into an ancient, inhuman timbre. "We have our own methods!"

His eyes turned completely black—bottomless abysses. As his lips moved, strange syllables spilled forth, forming sonic waves with endless reverberations. Each frequency left dark red afterimages in the air—like coagulated toxic gas.

Clone Luo En’s movements faltered noticeably, a flicker of pain flashing through his crimson-gold eyes.

“Abyss Resonance?” He grinned, his unnaturally sharp teeth glinting. “Interesting. But not enough.”

In the next instant, Clone Luo En shot forward like a bolt of lightning, his right hand clawed toward Aolifu’s eyes.

His claw underwent a transformation mid-strike, sharpening into razor-edged talons with a metallic sheen.

Xin Xi Ya screamed. A violet light barrier erupted between them, a chimera of elemental forces—blazing fire, flowing water, unyielding earth, and slicing wind—trying to block the lethal blow.

The barrier tore like paper under Clone Luo En’s claws, but the brief obstruction gave Aolifu time to react.

His facial muscles twisted, liquefying into a grotesque metamorphosis. His eye sockets stretched, bulging outward as his eyes popped from their sockets, staring wildly at the clone.

“Curse. Activated.”

Eliot blinked. Clone Luo En’s form froze midair, bound by invisible chains.

—One Ring of Death Gaze.

Aolifu’s voice dripped with triumph.

“This is the combined mana of both Xin Xi Ya and me. Even a monster like you can’t escape it.”

Xin Xi Ya’s lips curled into a victorious, feverish smile.

“Now, let’s see what you really are.”

Her fingers morphed into gleaming blades as she edged toward Clone Luo En’s frozen face.

“I’ll tear you apart and see if, like ordinary clones, you’re just hollow and empty inside.”

But as her blade neared him, Eliot felt an odd energy fluctuation—a pure, crystalline vibration, like the soft chime of struck glass.

Golden runes erupted across Clone Luo En’s body, spreading rapidly into a complete mana field.

“This…” Aolifu’s eyes widened in terror. “Impossible! No one at this stage can break Death Gaze!”

Clone Luo En lifted his head slowly. His burning crimson-gold eyes seemed to contain galaxies of fire.

“You think your curse affects me?”

Without waiting for an answer, he shattered the curse’s hold, his movements restored.

Abyss Fusion Entity recoiled, his smugness dissolving into horror.

“Impossible,” he muttered. “You’re no ordinary clone… What are you?”

Clone Luo En answered with another attack.

The air’s mana crystallized, forming a Radiant Flame Sword.

—Radiant Halo Sword Form.

Swinging the blade, he cleaved through the Fusion Entity’s core. The sword’s passage screamed through the air, splitting even the wind itself.

The Fusion Entity unleashed full defense—countless tendrils interwove an impenetrable net, its surface glowing with a purplish-black mana shield.

It was futile.

The Radiant Flame Sword sliced effortlessly through all defenses, burying deep into the Fusion Entity’s core. A shriek echoed across the platform as the entity convulsed, black liquid erupting from its wounds like an exploded water sac.

Clone Luo En withdrew the blade, dripping with purplish-black liquid that evaporated instantly in the sword’s radiant flame.

The Abyss Fusion Entity, now crippled, curled into a corner, its wounds pooling into an eerie black puddle.

“Disappointing.”

Clone Luo En’s voice was cold. “I thought this was an awakening being with potential. Another failure for the Abyss Eye’s plan.”

Aolifu lifted his head, eyes hollow with despair. “What… what are you?”

“I told you already.” The clone smiled, icy and cruel. “Just a clone of Luo En from the Bloodline Altar.”

“Liar!” Aolifu spat, his voice twisted by pain. “No clone could wield such power or possess such clear self-awareness. No clone could resist Death Gaze!”

“Maybe I’m just stronger than you imagined,” Clone Luo En mused. “Or… you’re weaker than you thought.”

The words pierced Aolifu’s pride like a blade. His face paled, his eyes dimming.

“But—the Holy Disk Master said we’d succeeded! We’ve awakened! We’ve absorbed so much power…!”

“Holy Disk Master?” The clone’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s that?”

Aolifu hesitated, then Xin Xi Ya interrupted, her voice eerily calm.

“It doesn’t matter now. We’re dying anyway, aren’t we?”

A serene smile touched her lips.

“We always knew the risks. We chose power—we chose to bear its consequences.”

“But we could’ve—”

“No,” she said softly. “It’s not that boy’s fault. We chose this path. I don’t regret it. I’ve tasted unimaginable ecstasy, shattered my limits… that’s enough.”

Her gaze softened toward Aolifu.

“At least in our end, we’re one. Isn’t that… beautiful?”

Aolifu stared at her, his rage fading into acceptance.

“You’ve always been like this, Xin Xi Ya. Always chasing those things.”

A bitter chuckle escaped him. “You’re right. At least we’ve lived more than the countless who never dared.”

As they spoke, Clone Luo En watched silently, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes—then gone, replaced by cold finality.

“End it quickly.”

Eliot, observing, nearly cheered at the clone’s move.

But as Clone Luo En raised his blade, Aolifu’s eyes flared with sudden intensity.

“Wait… Before you strike, let me tell you about the ‘Holy Disk Master.’”

The clone paused, curious.

“I suspect he was my mentor—the one who taught me curse arts. He’s always been… fascinated by Luo En. Said he bore a unique ‘trait.’ I think Luo En’s path will inevitably draw his attention.”

Clone Luo En frowned. “I’m not Luo En. Why tell me?”

Aolifu smirked. “Because I think you’ll be defeated by the real Luo En… becoming part of him. Telling you is the same as telling him, isn’t it?”

The clone’s expression darkened. “You overestimate him.”

“Do I?” Aolifu’s voice grew faint, but his eyes gleamed. “Then why do I feel your fear? Like prey sensing a predator…”

Rage flashed in Clone Luo En’s eyes. The Radiant Flame Sword plunged into Aolifu’s throat, silencing him.

Aolifu’s eyes widened, lips curling into a mocking smile—Got it right, didn’t I?

The Fusion Entity began dissolving, crumbling like sand battered by waves.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end