Chapter 1737: Chapter 81: Next, Leave It to Me
The white-haired youth Bairan sat leisurely on the shoulder of a tall, imposing figure with black curls. Beneath him, the evil god’s beloved had a cold, fierce expression, both wild and captivating.
"Give up, Little Sweetie, you can’t beat my evil god’s beloved," Bairan laughed.
"...Hah." Yamada Machiichi wiped the blood from his face, clenched his palm, and formed a shimmering Water Blade.
After Xiber, Chao Yan, and Dan Shuang’s experts descended to assist, Yamada Machiichi fought while retreating, forced to split his forces and trapped by Bairan under a high tower in the Red Tower Royal City, far from the Creator Conference.
His occupation had progressed several times, now named "Sui An," adept in darkness and water series magic, using bizarre spells and arrays against enemies, skilled in hiding and escape. He never thought he’d become a front-line pillar.
"Bairan, I know you. You’re the power holder of the Death Cantor, you’re Luowasha people..." Yamada Machiichi gasped, questioned, "Why stand on the side of the Master of the End of All Things?"
"Well, nothing can be done since you can’t tolerate my beloved," Bairan patted his beloved’s shoulder, crossed his legs.
Yamada Machiichi lifted the Water Blade. He knew he must quickly defeat Bairan and return to the stage of the Creator Conference, otherwise, the host’s forced interruption would render everyone’s efforts in vain.
He raised the Water Blade, muttering the incantation.
"Swoosh——!"
Instantly, the whale underfoot let out a deep, prolonged sound, and the surrounding glowing blue water surged suddenly, transforming into thousands of dense Water Blades spiraling upward. Yamada Machiichi’s figure blurred in the mist of water for a moment, the next moment appearing beside Bairan, Black Blade wreathed in sticky dark energy, silently slashing diagonally!
"Clang——!!"
Dust erupted, instantly engulfing half the block.
Beneath Bairan, the evil god’s beloved raised a muscled giant hand, and a tremendous force suddenly emerged, shattering the Water Blades midway, Yamada Machiichi let out a muffled grunt, viciously tossed by invisible power against the mottled wall.
"——Boom!!!"
...
[HP-921! (Impact!)]
[HP: 1579/2500]
...
Stone fragments flew. Yamada Machiichi’s throat felt sweet and metallic, yet at the moment of the impact, he became a dark stream, merging into the shadow of the wall.
"Using oneself as bait!" Yamada Machiichi leaped in mid-air.
"Dark Tide, rise!"
In an instant, arcs of water shot towards the evil god, swelling into lotus flowers of water blue, enveloping Him inside.
The evil god’s wild, cool face finally showed a horrified expression. When His crossed arms touched the void powers, starting from the fingertips, turned into the finest dust, silently dissolving. Then the wrist, forearm, upper arm...
He opened His mouth, but no sound emitted, His mountain-like heavy form slowly collapsed.
"Puff——!" Bairan also seemed struck, spewing blood, his aura plummeting, falling from the air, crashing heavily into the ruins.
He stared at Yamada Machiichi, completely unbelieving.
"Impossible... Just a few days ago you weren’t this strong, how did you..."
Yamada Machiichi’s breath trembled, coldly retorted: "You underestimated the player."
He was grateful he learned some skills from Dan Shuang; otherwise, he would have been broken. Bairan among the eight protagonists wasn’t considered a strong figure, he could defeat him.
After entering Luowasha, he tirelessly trained from the Mechanical Race to the Red Tower, from the Red Tower to the World Tree, and from the World Tree to the Creator Conference...
Unable to contact the gods, he started with the Royal. Unable to take on tasks affecting the world situation, he painstakingly completed the most dangerous small tasks to strengthen himself. He firmly believed—someday, when people see Yamada Machiichi, they wouldn’t think of comedy and secondary dimensions but rather reliability. Thirty years east, thirty years west, don’t underestimate Yamada when poor!
Lu’s entrustment gave Yamada Machiichi a glimmer of hope amidst the gloom: "Go to the normal world line to oversee everything, be the host. I believe in you."
Yamada Machiichi initially thought it was Lu’s matter. Unexpectedly, Lu truly entrusted him with the task solemnly.
He did not disappoint the trust.
"Cough!"
Yamada Machiichi spat a mouthful of blood, downed several Blood Bottles, trembling, swiftly picking up equipment.
...
[You obtained the prop (Racial Transmission Potion)]
[Racial Transmission Potion (Purple Grade): "Leave it to me, I can manage."]
[Spirit +5]
[Special Skill (Transmission): You can designate any person, upon obtaining their consent, to acquire any equipment or prop from their possession. This transmission is not affected by usage restrictions, nor influenced by time and space within the world.]
[Remark: You know what you need to do, right?]
...
...This is amazing! Yamada Machiichi immediately recognized the strength of this prop.
"Unaffected by time and space," meant even if Su Ming’an and he were now worlds apart, not on the same world line, this could connect him to Su Ming’an. Unfortunately, it’s a one-time use. He cherished the potion as his lifeline prop, must use it wisely.
Next, he must immediately return to the Creator Conference to resume hosting, the host has been vacant too long, if he doesn’t return, trouble will arise.
"Hold on a bit longer, once Su Ming’an defeats the Radiant Mother God there, I won’t have any issues..." Yamada Machiichi comforted himself, nervously moving forward—
"Puchi."
A subtle sound of sharp blades piercing flesh.
He lowered his head, saw a crimson sword tip piercing from the position of his heart.
He stiffly turned his neck, looking back. The attacker must have been watching him for a long time, seizing the perfect moment for a decisive strike.
What came into view was fiery red long hair, a cold and exquisite face of a maiden. The girl’s eyes were like frozen lakes, only filled with indifferent desolation.
It’s... her?
Yamada Machiichi stared in disbelief at an impossible person.
—How is it possible? How could she still be alive?
But he couldn’t think anymore; strength ebbed away like the tide. He opened his mouth, but instead, a torrent of blood mixed with fragments of his organs spewed forth.
...
Source Point, Nine Serenities, the seal of the Demon Mother Goddess.
"Boom——!"
With the Demon Mother Goddess and the Reincarnation God working together, Nine Serenities trembled.
As the night dissipated like mist, the black water turned into millions of maddened dragons, whipping out in all directions. When the first beam of light reached Her eyes, the Demon Mother Goddess raised Her colossal form and let out a wild laugh, announcing grandly:
[I... am free.]
She had been asleep for too long, long enough for Luowasha to become the stronghold of the Radiant Mother God, long enough for those who worshipped demons to be called heretics. She was finally free, able to stand under the open sky as the "hero who fights against evil." The most intriguing part was this: the self-proclaimed radiant Radiant Mother God had become the enemy to be slain, while the degenerate Demon Mother Goddess had become the hero awakened. As if the stories of legend had swapped places, turning folklore into the true history.
Violent winds whipped Su Ming’an’s black hair, he reverted from his giant tree form, his figure thin. The recent deadly battle had consumed too much of his strength.
"Su Ming’an... cough cough cough...!" Violet coughed, having escorted Chen Yuhang to this point, her face pale, divine power depleted.
"Thank you for your hard work." Su Ming’an checked her condition and thanked her, "After we leave, take Chen Yuhang to a safe place, wait for everything to end. Your fight is over, go enjoy your happiness."
Chen Yuhang did well, having delivered the key here; his task was finished. From now on, he could enjoy his life as a hero. This ordinary young man, his passion had truly been rewarded, he had truly succeeded.
Whether he chooses to return to the Mingxi campus or stay in Luowasha, adored as a hero. Or even go to Zhai Xing; many there also liked him, he could live a happy life under the Union Government’s protection, with enough prize money to live comfortably for life, without worries.
What a happy life, indeed.
Violet too, as a leading Player who persisted to this point, did not choose to retreat but instead escorted Chen Yuhang all the way here. Upon returning, she too would be a hero, and having exchanged for divinity rewards, she would successfully ascend, living a long life... What awaited her was a bright and expansive future visible to the naked eye.
As for the stranded Yang Changxu and Joy, in the environment of the Source Point, the prospects were bleak, but they too were heroes, and Su Ming’an was already having Lü God look for them, hoping they could find a way back, hoping they could be safe.
"Crack."
A faint cracking sound, like spider webs spreading. The cage that had entrapped Isabelle for countless ages finally began to crumble. Under the surging black water, the wait was not long, but for these players who had been tense for so long, it was a rare moment of relaxation.
The vast universe, the long-flowing black water, the beautiful and pristine stardust... Amidst such beauty, feeling one’s own insignificance, as if floating in a magnificent dream, unaware of the outside world, like a soul wandering.
It gives the feeling of sitting on a chariot, gazing at beautiful scenery outside the window, awaiting the train’s impending departure with a sense of leisure. Their next destination will be an incredibly brilliant and happy future.
In this tranquility and peace, Violet spoke in a hoarse voice, her throat scratched by the turbulent flow, losing its melodious tone, raspy like an old woman, "What about you? Will you still go forward?"
After leaving here, her and Chen Yuhang’s tasks would be entirely finished, they just needed to quietly wait for the dust to settle... but Su Ming’an? His most arduous battle was just beginning, even though he’s struggled so hard to get here, the last few steps are the hardest.
"Me?" Su Ming’an gazed at the gradually opening seal, the dazzling light falling into his eyes, he slightly squinted, his somewhat ethereal hands adjusting his collar, "Lu is still trapped in the World Chessboard, I need to see him. Then, I will go out to defeat the Radiant Mother God, to obtain the method to create the IF Line from Her. If this method isn’t feasible, then..."
He pursed his lips,
"I will initiate a vote to let people decide whether we should continue forward or stop. If everyone wishes to stop, to stop taking risks, I will make sure to comfort you all properly, rest assured, you no longer need to give up anything."
"Next, it’s up to me."
Next, it’s up to me... what a powerful statement.
Violet’s gaze flickered, silently watching the young man, his eyes startlingly deep black. Most eyes from the Dragon Country are dark brown, not pure black, but his were different. Perhaps holding too many things beneath the surface, making anyone who meets his gaze feel like they’re staring into an unfathomable abyss.
Too much, too much had submerged his original color, mixing crimson, orange-yellow, deep blue, gold... Until in the end, it became an indistinguishable black, buried deep within his eyes, like falling into an inescapable deep ocean.
She wanted to say something, with her emotional intelligence, she could offer many comforting words, such as you don’t need to work so hard, you don’t need so much pressure... But in the end, she gently touched his head, lowering her hand.
She admitted she was indeed tired, this journey had been fraught with danger, there were moments she nearly died, whether facing the Horror Grandma or later escorting Chen Yuhang—every step of the way she walked on a tightrope. She urgently needed a time to rest, to lie down in her pillow and sleep soundly, simply sleeping from dawn to dusk, emptying herself.
She knew, many players felt just like her, whether Lin Yin, Yi Song, Zhao Yuan, Mizushima Kawa Sora... they were all tired. A long-distance race near its end, everyone was extremely fatigued, the taste of blood lingering in their breath. At this moment, fame and fortune didn’t matter anymore, they only wanted to deeply breathe in the grassy air, to enjoy the feeling of being alive.
But then, she saw the look in Su Ming’an’s eyes.
—In the young man’s eyes, there was no relief, no comfort of resting on a train, only an increasingly intense urgency, and unbearable pressure.
Violet opened her mouth: "I..."
"It’s okay, go rest." Su Ming’an seemingly knew what she wanted to say, he interrupted her, smiling gently, "You should rest, from the Ninth World, to standing on the human frontlines again and again, your soul too has reached its limit, don’t force yourself."
Violet’s eyes widened.
She had thought, Su Ming’an wouldn’t be familiar with her. After all, there were too many people around Su Ming’an, even though she had helped him still. Yet, he clearly remembered her movements in these instances, knowing precisely what she had done... He remembered everyone around him.
At this moment, looking at his smile, she sensed a kind of... kindness.
As if regardless of how he was hurt, how he was betrayed... he would keep moving forward. Countless sacrifices pressed on his shoulders, their sins and bitter fruits irrelevant to others.
She picked up the unconscious Chen Yuhang, gazing towards the gradually sunlit sky.
At that moment, Su Ming’an suddenly heard Yi Song’s transmission:
"Isabelle maybe doesn’t intend to help us at all. After breaking free of the seal, she should still have a way to escape."
Su Ming’an looked to the side. Everyone was standing, except Yi Song, who was held in the Mother Goddess’ embrace. If it were other humans, the proud Mother Goddess wouldn’t even spare a glance, Yi Doctor was the exception.
Of course, Su Ming’an wouldn’t release a tiger back into the mountains, he had already planted roots inside the Demon Mother Goddess, if She cooperated, it would make things much simpler, offering more energy for the final battle—but regrettably... he foresaw the Deity wouldn’t willingly submit to others.
Earlier, when Yi Song was caught by the Mother Goddess’ tendrils, the doctor’s notebook in Yi Song’s hands fell. Unnoticed by the others, the notebook quietly slipped into Su Ming’an’s pale tendrils and was sensed by him. It held a lock inside, containing the aura of the Black Water Dream, its purpose unknown.
He indeed contemplated, if the Demon Mother Goddess still played tricks, he would fight Her directly. But it would inevitably be detrimental to both sides. Apparently, Yi Song had a solution?
"Su Ming’an, do you have confidence... confident that after we kill Her, you can absorb Her nutrients and ascend to First Level God?" Yi Song transmitted.
Su Ming’an silently nodded.
Rather than siding with Isabelle, it was more secure to truly ascend to First Level God himself. Isabelle had shown intent to break her agreement multiple times, even nearly killing them before. But the issue was, his divine power needed to be reserved for the battle against the Radiant Mother God, in case of both sides suffering here with Isabelle, it would be meaningless.
"...Okay. I have a plan." Yi Song transmitted, "Give me the opportunity to speak with Her... as you find the right moment, throw that lock at Her."
