https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-899-The-Stench-of-Love-and-Mentorship/13110142/
Chapter 898: The End of Death
Chapter 898: The End of Death
Tsk... Blaming the road for your own poor footwear!
Facing the repeated shooing from the Third Generation Director, Lyon couldn't help but roll his eyes in exasperation. As he turned around, he met the apologetic gaze of the Taurus Director. Then, he locked eyes with Emma, who gave him a resentful look.
"..."
Damn, I haven't even resolved the issue here...
"Lyon..."
Noticing Lyon's slightly stiff expression, the tall and beautiful woman's eyes dimmed slightly. She instinctively turned her head away, her voice low and dejected as she said, "Don't worry, I won't put you in a difficult position. I... I just wanted to ask you one more thing. If I hadn't gone on that mission and had stayed in the capital, would our... would our outcome have been different?"
"..."
Feeling Emma's heart lake filled with disappointment and pain, Lyon, feeling guilty, was about to firmly refuse. However, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead, he also turned his head away, his words somewhat ambiguous:
"Emma... Senior, these 'what-ifs' can't change the reality of what has already happened... I admit, at the time, I did feel something for you... Um..."
As Lyon spoke, he seemed to remember something and, as if enlightened, turned to look behind him. Sure enough, he saw a dozen pairs of bright, eager eyes staring back at him.
"..."
"..."
"Why are you standing there like a statue? Get moving!"
"Quick! Everyone, start digging! Look for the biggest ones first!"
"Hurry up! Bring out the sages inside, and then we'll lie down in there!"
"..."
Damn these people!
Watching the crowd transform from absolute stillness to frenzied activity, like wound-up toys, Lyon closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and assumed the pose of an old subway rider. His expression was filled with disdain.
I can't believe this... We're about to go to war with the Dead Realm, and you guys are still interested in my personal life?
Lyon unconsciously twitched his lips, then decisively pulled Emma away to a more distant spot. They arrived at the tree the Third Generation Director had pointed out earlier. Lyon held Emma's arm and spoke with a guilty look in his eyes, "I'm sorry, Senior Emma. I can't..."
"No, you don't have to apologize!"
Emma blocked Lyon's lips with her hand, and just like countless melodramatic scenes from TV dramas, she shook her head slightly in response to Lyon's apology. Her expression dimmed as she said, "You have nothing to apologize for. On the contrary, you've saved me time and time again. Perhaps... perhaps I'm being ungrateful..."
"..."
"I'm sorry, Lyon. I... I think my soul might not be fully healed yet. Can I go back and lie down for a while?"
"Okay..."
Lyon rubbed the ring on his finger, and in the end, he nodded, his heart heavy. He didn't try to stop her but watched as Emma turned and walked away. When she was out of sight, he couldn't help but sigh softly.
Emma hadn't done anything wrong, and neither had Veronica. If he made a promise just because he couldn't bear to part with her, he would only end up hurting everyone. So...
"Sizzle—"
Hearing the familiar, unpleasant sound by his ear, Lyon couldn't help but smile bitterly. He knew that his choice had triggered another badge, and it was probably one with an unpleasant name, like 'Cold-Blooded Man' or...
[While falling from the Terminus Cliff, you collided with the First Dead, who had been pushed off the cliff. In exchange for promising to avenge them, you absorbed a portion of their Death Authority with their permission.]
"The current count of devoured True Gods of the Netherworld is 3: the Guardian Death Hound, the Crying Doll, and the First Dead.
There are 12 remaining True Gods yet to be devoured, including Raven-Eyed Granny, the Faceless Man, the Yellow Earthworm of River Excavation, the Master of Masks, the Priest of Death, the Old Man with the Lantern..."
"After consuming all the True Gods of the Netherworld, your hidden Golden-tier Emblem, the Voracious God of Food, will evolve into the hidden Unique Emblem, I Am the End of Death. Current progress: 3/15."
"What the...?"
As Lyon's mind reeled from this revelation, a sense of immense emptiness, indescribable and overwhelming, suddenly surged from the depths of his soul.
It was as if a part of his 'self' had been severed and thrown into a cold machine, ground to nothingness. The terrifying sense of loss caused Lyon to feel dizzy and disoriented, and he might have collapsed if he hadn't steadied himself against a nearby tree trunk.
"Was my soul fragment destroyed by Terminus Cliff? I didn't gain the memories of that soul fragment, but through the 'break' in my soul, I sensed a connection to Emma's power—a chilling presence, far more intense than before. I immediately understood what had happened to that part of my soul."
The loss of a soul fragment was bearable; Lyon had prepared himself for the permanent loss of that part of his soul when he decided to send it into the Netherworld. But what about the First Dead? How did it also end up at Terminus Cliff?
"Taurus!"
Without waiting for a response, Lyon stumbled back towards the bubbling pot, his face paling. Amidst the confused gazes of the other Purifiers, he exclaimed:
"The soul fragment I sent into the Netherworld has fallen off Terminus Cliff with the First Dead, and it's likely been crushed by now, returning directly to the origin of the world!"
"What?!"
The Purifiers were stunned into silence by this shocking news, their jaws dropping.
A moment later, the spoon in the Old Man's hand slipped and clattered into the boiling pot, breaking the silence. The Purifiers burst into a commotion.
"You took out the First Dead?!"
"He's the oldest ruler of the Netherworld! Did you kill him with just a quarter of your soul?"
"But he was neutral! Why kill a neutral party?"
"This is bad! What about the No Return Path now that the First Dead is gone?"
"Shut up!!!!"
The Taurus Director's sharp rebuke silenced the chattering Purifiers. He gritted his teeth and turned to Lyon, demanding an explanation.
"Lyon, you tell us! What's going on?"
"I didn't kill the First Dead, and I'm not sure about the specifics, but he was definitely pushed off Terminus Cliff and is most likely gone now."
Concealing the part about the emblem, Lyon shared the 'intelligence' he had gained through the soul fragment and cautiously deduced:
"Based on the information I received, the First Dead might have been harmed by someone. Perhaps there was an internal conflict among the Netherworld Overlords?"
(End of Chapter)
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