Chapter 914: You're Breaking a Sweat, Huh, Buddy?
Chapter 914: You're Breaking a Sweat, Huh, Buddy?
After mentally cursing the Third-Generation Old Man, Lyon felt the 'Thinning' Authority of Death around him. He racked his brains, trying to figure something out, and then shouted again, "Stop! Think about Ely!"
Hearing the name of his daughter, Emma, in the distance, paused slightly, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes.
Lyon, sensing this change, brightened and hurriedly continued, "Think it through! She only has you as family. If you leave her behind, what will happen to that child?"
"..."
Although the tactic of emotional blackmail was a bit cliche, it was effective on Emma. Her previously stable soul began to fluctuate, and her efficiency in seizing the Authority of Death decreased instantly.
Just as Lyon was overjoyed and about to continue taking advantage of the situation, the Third-Generation Old Man, who had been keeping his head down, lifted his head and whispered to Lyon, "Don't worry. You two already have a connection. After you take over the affairs of the Dead Realm for him, when that kid returns, he'll definitely raise your daughter as his own, maybe even better than his own child."
"..."
What the hell?! Although Lyon didn't catch what the Old Man said, seeing his sparse hair swaying in the wind and Emma's suddenly stabilized soul, he immediately understood that the Old Man was up to something again.
"Emma!"
After mentally cursing the Old Man a thousand times, Lyon knew that yelling at him now would only backfire. He held back his anger and pretended not to hear, continuing his earnest plea, "Emma, don't forget that your child is waiting for you to come home."
"..."
"Think about it. If you stay in the Dead Realm, you'll never see her again. How heartbroken would she be?"
"..."
"Don't worry, I have a solution for this too! I've already thought it through for you."
After glancing at Emma's soul, which had started to waver again, the Old Man sneaked a look at Lyon and then retracted his head, chuckling, "If you can't go back, why not have your daughter come to you?"
"Really?!"
"Yes, really."
Seeing Emma's surprised and delighted expression, the Old Man grinned, "Listen, when you were lying in my coffin, I took a quick peek at your memories. I found that your daughter's talent is no less than yours, and she's naturally close to death, just like you.
I can assure you, through my master-apprentice relationship with that kid, that in just a few years, your daughter will be able to enter the Dead Realm or the Mundane Realm at will, just like those great Spirit Mediums.
And considering the special connection between you two, she might not even need to wait for a few years. Maybe she'll just have a dream tomorrow night and come down here. It's no big deal."
"This..."
"And think about it, that kid is almost the Lord of Nightmares himself. He's very capable in this regard. Even if your daughter can't control her dreams, he can help her. He can even follow her into her dreams and come to see you together, right?"
"..."
Lyon... When Ely wants to see me, will he come along too?
"Shut your mouth!"
After instinctively dodging a few times, Lyon could only watch helplessly as the Third-Generation Old Man, who had been cowering the entire time, finally relaxed.
The Old Man stood up, grinning, and then cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting towards Lyon:
"No need for thanks. Just go back and work hard with the Purge Bureau, don't embarrass me!"
"..."
Lyon glared at the Old Man, wishing he could swallow him whole.
As Lyon's furious gaze bore into the Old Man, the 'Gaze' from Death itself completely shifted its focus, infusing the remaining 50.1% of its authority into Emma's soul.
With the birth of the new Lord, the stagnant Netherworld began to function once more.
The dead on the No Return Path started walking again, the Yellow Springs surged forward with mud and sand, the Harrowing Crows cawed in panic and flew into the sky, and the grey mist outside the Gates of the Departed began to swirl once more. Lyon's foot went straight through the Old Man's buttocks, kicking the ebony coffin on the ground into the air!
"Stop! Don't fight!"
Apparently not expecting the Netherworld to recover so quickly, Lyon stood before the Old Man, his face contorted in rage. The Old Man, who hadn't had time to crawl into the coffin, couldn't help but show a hint of regret in his eyes. He quickly pulled up his pants, which were about to slip down, and coughed, "I can explain... Although either of you could have taken up the Authority of Death, becoming a dead person would not only affect your potential but also create a void in the mundane realm. But if Emma takes up the Authority, there won't be any such issues..."
"Lyon, I'm fine."
Emma called out to Lyon, then gently touched his arm, stopping the fist he had been about to swing. She continued in a soft, reassuring tone, "The Old Man is right. It's better for me to take over the Netherworld than for you to do so."
"But you..."
"Think about it. What about Anna and the others if you stay? You asked me if I had thought about Ely, but have you thought about them when you decided to take over the Netherworld?"
"..."
"Lyon, you..."
Lyon instinctively held Emma's hand and felt its unusual warmth. Emma paused, then withdrew her hand, which no longer had any warmth. She forced herself to stay strong, her gentle expression softening as she reminded him, "Lyon, you don't need to worry about me. If the next Lord of the Netherworld only appears in two hundred years, Ely, with her spirit medium abilities, can still see me often. But if it were Melanie and William, they might have to wait until after their deaths to see you.
"So, although the Old Man has his own ideas, his suggestion is right. Whether it's for the safety of the mundane realm or for Anna and the others, my staying in your place is the best choice."
"..."
The best choice...?
Recalling the cold touch that had just been withdrawn, Lyon's lips moved slightly. He couldn't help but take Emma's hand, which was still cold despite his efforts to warm it, and held it tightly in his palm. He looked at her with guilt in his eyes, "But for you..."
"It's fine. I don't think it's unfair... In fact, this is the fairest it could be."
Before Lyon could speak, Emma had already guessed what he wanted to say. She shook her head, gripping his hand, which was now slightly warm. Smiling at Lyon's guilty gaze, she said softly, her eyes like pools of water, "I'm already dead, so the living you belong to that Queen. I won't take you from her. But for fairness, when you die, she can't have you either!"
"..."
(End of Chapter)
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