Chapter 271: The Climax of the Drama

Chapter 271: The Climax of the Drama

December 31st, 1999.

The last day before the millennium, the tail end of the 20th century, and in the realm of magic, this marked a time of destruction and rebirth.

Lu Ke surveyed the scenery of Dad's Antique Shop, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

All the puzzle pieces were in place, and the climax of the drama was about to unfold.

He felt a tinge of reluctance to leave behind this not-so-peaceful yet interesting life, but his true form had probably grown impatient waiting. It was time to get things done.

The familiar garlic scent wafted through the air, and Dad was sitting in his chair watching TV. Even after Lu Ke had restored his youth, his daily habits remained largely unchanged.

"Are you going to capture the Dark Lord?" Dad asked, turning to look at his capable disciple upon hearing his footsteps. Now, he trusted Lu Ke completely and no longer worried about his safety, especially after witnessing his dominance over the Seven Great Demons. The weakened Dark Lord stood no chance.

"Mhm," Lu Ke nodded slightly but didn't take a step forward.

After a while, Dad, sensing his hesitation, pushed up his glasses in confusion.

"What's wrong, Lu Ke? Is something bothering you? You can tell me."

Lu Ke hesitated, "Sir, if I do something not so good, will you understand me?"

"It depends on the situation. Will what you're about to do harm others?"

"Probably not."

Dad rarely smiled, but he did now, "Then it's fine. I trust you won't be too mischievous. You're different from Xiao Yu; you've always been a sensible child."

Lu Ke couldn't help but smile wryly, "Please don't let Xiao Yu hear that, or she'll make a fuss."

"Unfortunately, I already heard it."

Xiao Yu appeared out of nowhere, hands crossed over her chest, eyebrows furrowed, looking quite displeased.

"Xiao Yu, how did you get here?"

"I walked up the stairs."

Xiao Yu's reply was smooth and effortless.

"But at this time, you should be out shopping for New Year's supplies with Dragon Uncle."

"Buying couplets is something Dragon Uncle can handle alone. T-Lady wouldn't waste time on such trivial matters. Besides, the Dark Lord is the last demon, and I don't want to miss the finale."

Xiao Yu flipped her hair in a cool gesture, and the tall Tru, standing beside her, spoke up.

"I'll accompany Xiao Yu."

Since Lu Ke's use of the Provocation Technique, the two had become good friends.

Lu Ke glanced at Tru subtly and nodded to Dad, "I'll take good care of them."

"Be careful."

Dad didn't turn back as he gave his instructions.

As Lu Ke was about to leave with the two, he was suddenly called back.

"There's one more thing. After the Eight Great Demons are sealed, it will be easier to summon new dark forces. But without a catalyst, the activation of these forces will be delayed."

Lu Ke smiled and nodded, "I know."

"There's one more thing. If you don't return before midnight, you won't get to eat the chocolate chip cookies Dad prepared."

"Yes, sir."

Lu Ke left with the two, gently closing the door behind them.

...

China, Hong Kong.

Above a cave entrance, several disheveled figures stood off against each other in the hazy moonlight.

"Dark Lord, I've had enough of running and hiding with you," said the strongest Dark Energy Mage, Daolong, his face darkening. "You promised me the power of talismans, but now we can't even lay our hands on a single one!"

"Not only that, but to free them, I've also lost my Dark Killer, and my magic power is gradually weakening."

"And your useless demon brothers, they're always captured as soon as they're released. I was foolish to believe they could help me obtain the talismans."

The Dark Lord's eyes flashed with red light, and his tone was sincere as he tried to persuade Daolong, inching closer.

"My dark energy brother, how can you think that way? It's not that we're too weak; it's that the enemy is too strong. I've been doing my best to help you..."

The Dark Lord continued to console and admonish Daolong.

Seeing his sincerity, Daolong suppressed his anger, having invested too much in the Dark Lord to give up now.

As the Dark Lord spoke, he drew closer, then pointed upward in surprise, "What's that?"

Just as Daolong looked up, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He lowered his head, disbelief etched on his face as he stared at the Dark Lord, whose thick, sharp claws had pierced his body.

Upon seeing Daolong impaled by the Dark Lord, the Ice Trio's faces paled, and they immediately tried to flee. However, Devil Dragon, as if anticipating his father's actions, calmly blocked their path.

Pandora's Box was useless now, so they were of no use to him.

"Sorry, buddies, but in the future's prophecy, only my father has the chance to stop the L Era from coming. I must follow his orders."

Devil Dragon unleashed a torrent of fire from his mouth, mercilessly burning the Ice Trio to ashes, leaving only their shrill screams.

As he lay dying, Daolong glared at the Dark Lord with resentment, "You... betrayed... your comrade."

"I am the noble Dragon, the strongest Dark Energy Wizard a thousand years ago. It's common knowledge that I don't keep my promises!"

The Dark Lord, without a hint of guilt, slid his claws, splitting Daolong in half, then swallowed him and his staff whole.

"The other demons are sealed, and even with my powers, I can only release one. They're no match for the Saint Fighters. It's better for me to face them."

The one he feared the most, the brat who had used him as a stepping stone, was nowhere to be found. In this mortal realm, he was the only demon, the only dragon.

Most of the dark energy had concentrated in him, and with the death of Daolong and the Ice Trio, even more, dark energy flowed into him.

With his current luck, it's not impossible for him to rush to District Thirteen, retrieve the talisman, and restore his prime.

Once he's back to his peak, even if he can't defeat the Saint Fighter, escaping shouldn't be too difficult!

But it wasn't enough to feel secure.

The Dark Lord kept calculating in his mind, then turned his gaze to his son, the Devil Dragon. He softened his tone, a rare display of gentleness.

"Son, come here and let your father have a good look at you."

Devil Dragon's heart tightened. After spending so much time by the Dark Lord's side, he had some understanding of his father's character. A bad premonition made him take two steps back.

"Father, you're not going to eat me too, are you?"

"How could I? You're my child, and our blood is connected."

Devil Dragon shook his head frantically and took off running.

He didn't believe a word of the Dark Lord's nonsense! Just then, a magical glow emanated from his body, immobilizing him completely, even preventing him from using the demon energy within.

"Silly child, I created your body, how could you possibly think of rebelling against me?"

The Dark Lord's sinister voice drew closer as he lifted Devil Dragon, feigning sincerity as two tears squeezed out of his eyes.

"Child, even though I've always disliked your lizard-like appearance, our time together has fostered some affection. I don't want to do this, but for the greater good, I must sacrifice you."

Once he regained his strength and returned to his prime, he planned to find a place to hide and wait for the Saint Fighter and Dragonfang's group to grow old and die.

The Dark Lord thought as he offered his son to his gaping maw.

Devil Dragon's body, with its fire demon energy and partial dragon lineage, tempted the Dark Lord.

The child smelled delicious.

"No, no, no! This shouldn't be happening!"

The father he had worked so hard to rescue in the past now wanted to devour him. This was not what he had imagined! Devil Dragon struggled desperately, but to no avail.

Just then, the roar of a motorcycle engine reverberated, followed by an electromagnetic cannon that pierced right through the Dark Lord's body.

"Sorry, Dark Lord, but Devil Dragon is the property of District Thirteen, and we can't let you eat him."

The tall and slender Chen Xiaoyu made a stylish entrance on her air motorcycle, a uniquely shaped pistol in her hand, and by her side was the Magic Snake Snake with seven demon energies.

Snake's icy snake eyes swept over the Dark Lord, making his scalp tingle.

Without hesitation, the Dark Lord abandoned the feast that was within his grasp and fled.

Devil Dragon, who had narrowly escaped death, wore a complex and resentful expression.

He had almost been eaten by the father he had worked so hard to rescue, and the one who saved him was none other than Chen Xiaoyu, the sheriff of District Thirteen, who had come to arrest him. This left him with mixed feelings.

"Go catch the Dark Lord! I'll stay here, I won't run!"

Regardless, he was determined to take revenge on the father who had betrayed him!

"Don't worry, he won't get away, and neither will you."

Chen Xiaoyu patted Snake's head, and the magic snake opened its mouth, emitting an invisible suction force.

Devil Dragon grimaced in pain as a ball of scorching demon energy floated out of his body and was sucked into Snake's belly.

Chen Xiaoyu placed a restraining collar on Devil Dragon and gazed at the retreating Dark Lord.

She had completed the task entrusted to her by Tru.

"Now, all eight demon energies have been collected."

...

Damn you, Chen Xiaoyu!

Damn District Thirteen!

Damn the Saint Fighter!

Damn the White Aura Mage! Damn the usurping brat!

The Dark Lord ran and cursed everyone who opposed him, frequently glancing back to ensure Chen Xiaoyu wasn't pursuing him, only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

It didn't matter; as long as he was alive, he could rise again.

"You won't have that chance, Dark Lord."

A figure in a white sacred robe, Tru, blocked his path.

The Dark Lord turned to see Xiao Yu with the energy scroll and Tru with the blowfish specimen, blocking his retreat.

"I truly appreciate your efforts, Dark Lord."

Tru spoke with a gentle tone.

The Tiger Charm helped him distinguish yin and yang, and with each step, his power spiraled upwards.

The Golden Rooster King's treasure provided him with startup capital, allowing him to live a lavish life and even buy the loyalty of his henchmen.

Along the way, he unsealed demons and marked them with location magic, enabling the Malevolent Face to quickly find and devour the demons.

In the end, he even contributed his Hell Gate, allowing the Malevolent Face to return.

Such a selfless demon, the Dark Lord!

"Thank you, and goodbye."

Tru drew his sword, the immortal deity's sealing artifact.

"Noooooo!"

Accompanying the Dark Lord's unwilling screams, the Hell Gate slowly opened, sucking in his entire dragon form.

But unlike before, this time, the Hell Gate didn't close immediately, and from within came the sound of bone-chilling chewing, the crack of bones, and the Dark Lord's screams of despair.

"It's you! It's you! How are you in Hell?!"

A thick, massive arm extended from the Hell Gate, and a huge shadow slowly emerged, seemingly struggling in the process.

"What's happening?"

The unusual situation made Xiao Yu uneasy. She looked at Tru, whose calm demeanor and lack of overreaction reassured her, allowing her to relax slightly.

She turned her gaze to Tru.

At some point, Tru had taken out a black suit and laid it on the ground. In his hand, the blowfish specimen was aimed at the suit, his face filled with guilt.

"Tru, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Xiao Yu, our work to this."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end