My only master is the All-Father, anyone else is at most, my equals… I’ll listen to nobody if I think it’s wrong… Now quiet! Your cries are disturbing me! → Shen
[How arrogant!]
[Then so be it!]
The two godly beasts felt insulted by Shen’s answer. Even so, they couldn’t do anything but shoot daggers at him with their glares and pressure him with their own auras.
“Ha!” → Demon’s Prince
The prince then found another opening from his battle with the elves and stabbed again, this time getting Shen’s shoulder. Even though Shen made sure to create a barrier thick enough, the prince’s sword was able to cut even through space. A mana-barrier wasn’t enough, no matter how much energy he used for it.
Grah! This damn brat! I’ll cut his limbs with exactly that damned sword of his if I catch him! → Shen
Shen’s green eyes turned red from the rage and frustration. His heart was boiling while even the white scales started to turn brown here and there.
[Just ask and thou shall receive my power. Even the World’s Arch won’t be a problem for you.]
Suddenly, inside his head another terrifying voice resounded. This one was much weaker than the two godly beasts’, but just as ethereal and foreign.
You are… Devil! → Shen
Shen understood instantly to whom he was talking to and felt a wave of panic engulf him.
S-Second Will! What is the meaning of this? Didn’t you seal him before?! → Shen
After asking for an answer, another voice resounded in his mind again.
The pressure is too great. The chains weakened and he evaded… If you don’t wish for the worst to happen, resist him with everything you got. Don’t let him take over your consciousness whatever it takes.
The voice explained in a composed and cool voice.
And how should I do that?! → Shen
Strengthen the chains. Don’t let him get out. And most importantly, don’t feed him with rage or fear. This will only weaken you while will make him stronger.
I can’t believe it! This ridiculous piece of wood, the damn prince, the stupid snake and bird, now this crazy devil?! It’s my destiny to die here and now?! → Shen
Shen almost lost himself when Second Will boomed in his mind with a severe voice.
Focus! Stop losing control and get a grip of yourself! Rather than wasting energy on useless emotions, try to strengthen the chains and resist the pressure.
After waking up from his sudden outburst, Shen closed his eyes and tried to focus with everything he had on resisting the beasts, sustaining the part from the Arch, seal back the devil and ignore the excruciating pain. However, even his mental powers had a limit. He was exhausted. His body was trembling and sweating bullets, even blood was dripping from his pores, looking as if he were beaten to a pulp, the veins inside his body exploding one after the other, showing blue and purple bruises everywhere on his body. His shoulder was bleeding profoundly while the wound on his stomach reopened. Even so, he still stood tall with the broken arch over him. The arch looked like one of those Japanese ones. It was the portal to the spiritual world, being the only way for the two entities to enter inside the material world.
“Cough!”
After coughing a mouthful of blood, he looked at the elf beside him with impatience. She was sweating just like him and her body trembled from the same pressure. She tried to absorb the essence of every elf around the World Tree above them, and use it to close the seal while resisting the same Godly Beasts.
“…Time?” → Shen
Shen asked again. He felt like he already passed his limits from the first 20 seconds now.
“One more minute, please resist a little more!”
The elf-woman said with some guilt and anxiety in her voice. She felt guilty for not giving Shen the right to help from the very beginning. Now after finally being able to help, he has to sustain the entire seal on himself while she tried to absorb enough energy to repair the seal in one go. Like this having a bigger chance of re-establishing the balance.
“I am extremely sorry sir Shen… If we are successful, the entire elf race will remain forever indebted to you.”
“Grrr…focus.” → Shen
Shen said with a cold voice while trying his best not to be irritated again. He couldn’t care less for debt and gratitude at that time.
I…can’t…my consciousness… is fading… → Shen
He barely resisted one minute, going for another was already asking for too much. Slowly, his eyes blurred, already unable to see but the blood from inside his eyes.
Shen! → Sylvia
Sylvia’s voice suddenly rang inside his heart, waking him back up to reality. Her voice was filled with worry and anxiety while trying to pinpoint his location. She rushed the fight with the demoness, ending up in having some openings, all of which were blocked by the protection barrier infused inside the ring Shen gave her.
Shen! Where are you? What’s happening to you?! Why do I feel such exhaustion and pain inside you?! Are you alright?! The world is breaking down, Shen! I think we failed… Where are you? Please come back to me… Please, be with me at least until the end! → Sylvia
Her voice was so desperate, it made Shen forget about the physical pain for a second. She was able to feel some pressure from his heart, making her feel a little part of the weight on top of her own chest, enough to have a hard time breathing.
Sylvia…. → Shen
Shen regained some consciousness and his heart hardened again after hearing her pained and desperate voice.
That’s right… This world… I can’t let it end when… I’m this close to closing the seal! → Shen
Shen’s spirit got reignited and he made his last move in full power.
“[One with the Universe – Last Chapter]” → Shen
Shen! DON’T! You’ll kill yourself! → Sylvia
Sylvia was feeling more and more terrified after understanding what Shen wished to do. She circulated Kundalini and fought with all her strength, throwing defense outside the window. Her skin turned red, even her eyes reddened and while fighting, flames started to appear around her, flickering here and there in a threatening way. On her back, the two spiraling lines shone stronger and one of them started to turn in a darker shade at the base, the shade slowly going upwards.
“What?!” → Demoness
The demoness felt threatened by the sudden change in Sylvia. The air started to vibrate and turned hot, while Sylvia’s aura grew past the limits she showed until now, slowly surpassing the demoness.
What is this?! Why have her powers suddenly skyrocketed? We were on the same level just a few seconds ago! Hmph. I’ll do the same then. → Demoness
The demoness started to emanate a dark aura around, her brown eyes started to redden and her power grew just as ridiculously fast as Sylvia’s.
“[Demonic Energy]” → Demoness
I’ll be able to use this enchanting form only for 1 minute…It should be enough. → Demoness
“Ha!”
The two shouted together and started to fight again. At every punch, Sylvia would try to use hits from the Heaven set to crack the space and deal even more damage. The demoness would answer with enchanting her sword, making it pulsate with a dark-blue glow then slash at her while cutting the space.
Their fight looked as if two goddesses descended and started fighting on the earth. Sylvia’s punches started to be enveloped in bright white flames while the demoness’ sword appeared with a pitch-black flame. Both of them attacked, burning everything around. Both of them were sent flying 10 meters back after a sudden clash which broke the ground and sent blocks of earth flying around.
“[Super Nova!]” → Sylvia
Sylvia then summoned a huge black-hole above her head. From inside the black-hole, a white shining dot grew larger and larger. After a few moments, the star reached 5 meters then shook and the black-hole disappeared while cracking the ground from the shockwave.
“[Doom’s Blade!]” → Sylvia
The black fire on her sword started to grow bigger and bigger, then took the form of a black huge blade of 10 meters length, appearing as if it would cut the world apart. Together with it, the sky started to darken and the same black lightning appeared through the clouds, as if ready to strike when ordered.
“HA!” → Sylvia
Sylvia then sent the sun towards the demoness while it reddened then slowly became smaller and smaller, turning from the 5 meters to only a white ball of 10 cm but shining with a blinding light. It looked as if it would explode at any moment now while flying with the speed of sound towards the demoness.
“ROAH!” → Demoness
The demoness dropped the huge sword, looking as if the end of the world already appeared from the dark clouds. The dark sky swirled and from it, black lightning was flashing. The two ultimate skills met and a huge black lighting crashed over the little sun, making it explode while the sword was still descending.
The explosion was strong enough to engulf the entire battlefield, the damaged area stopping only after destroying the first trees of the forest. Theo and Melinda already knew what would happen, getting enough time to run away while Ashura didn’t even care. Even though the explosion was ridiculous, it still wasn’t enough to kill him. On an area of 2 kilometers square a huge crater appeared with a depth of 100 meters.
At the center of the crater, the demoness was laying down burned to a crisp, her silhouette being the only thing which remained recognizable, while Sylvia was on her knees, breathing heavily with blood flowing from her innumerable wounds and a huge bloody cut going from her right shoulder to her left hip. She crouched down from the pain while trying to heal the burning cut on her chest. She felt as if nails were poking on her injury while at the same time, salt was rubbed inside it, making the suffering only harder to bear. Only after good five minutes had the fire diminished and the pain subsided from her healing. Even so, her body was close to breaking down from the huge explosion and overuse of Kundalini.
When the dust settled, a huge golden wheel appeared over the World Tree on spams of hundreds of kilometers around, covering the entire sky and a voice boomed everywhere, feeling as if a God was talking.
[The time has not come yet. The seal is repaired. Get back from where you came from, for this is not the last day. Bending Destiny: Last Chapter: Change the World.] → Shen
The voice sounded calm but imposing, and Sylvia was able to recognize Shen’s voice instantly. After his voice faded, the huge golden wheel, which resembled a gigantic magic circle on the sky, flashed with a strong light then disappeared completely. After that, the cracks on the ground started to reseal with frightening screams and screeches, while the clouds started to disperse and the shadows turned then left. The mana around calmed down again and a wind full of vitality came from the World Tree to revitalize the forests nearby. From the World Tree, a deafening sound like one from a sad horn shook the ground and cleaned the remaining clouds completely.
Even though she owned the fight and the world became stable again, she felt only despair and anguish in her heart.
Shen! Please! You can’t die! Please tell me where you are! I finished here, I’ll come and help! SHEN! → Sylvia
She tried to contact Shen but no answer came back. The connection between their hearts was thinner and thinner, she felt Shen’s flame of life, extinguishing slowly.
“Sob Shen…please…Sob…don’t leave me alone…” → Sylvia
Sylvia’s cries echoed inside the huge crater while her crystalline tears made the burnt dirt under her a covered with drops. The elves looked confused at the sky, the demons sighted heavily as if a burden were lifted from their backs, and the beast-men fell on their behinds or looked dazed around. They just dodged the end of the world and nobody knew that until now. Everyone sweated heavily and looked in the World Tree’s direction while wondering if everything really ended.
[One with the Universe – Last Chapter]
Shen activated his strongest skill he knew. The pressure over his shoulders lessened, his pupils dilated and engulfed even the whites of his eyes, while right in the center, two suns were burning. The mana suddenly vibrated around him, sending out a shockwave from the sudden change in the atmosphere. The high-elves and the third prince stopped fighting and looked with shock at Shen, everyone shuddered when they saw his eyes, together with his dragonic form, he was a fully-fledged white demon from the deepest parts of hell.
[Who are thee?!]
Even the two godly entities were shocked when they saw the burning dark eyes and imposing aura. However, Shen ignored them completely and instantly locked the devil back inside his soul. Even the elf woman looked with huge eyes at him, unable to understand what was happening but at the same time, too dazed to even ask.
Shen then stood tall while lifting the part of the Arch with just one hand, placing it on the spot it separated. The broken part from the arch started to reattach itself while the cracks started to close in a faster rate than before. The entire world moved as he wished, being able to repair the seal made by the World Tree.
[The time has not come yet. The seal is repaired. Get back from where you came from, for this is not the last day. Bending Destiny: Last Chapter: Change the World.] → Shen
Shen’s expression was calm and neutral, but his voice was heard by everyone to dozens of kilometers away. A golden magic wheel appeared above his head, turning and spinning after his own will. It suddenly stopped and Shen touched the wheel, spinning it with his own hands.
–TOK-TOK-TOK-TOK-
The wheel sounded like an old mechanism, going against the natural flow of destiny and being forced to turn back by a foreign power. After turning the wheel, Shen touched the arch and commanded.
[Seal!]
The word 封 appeared on top of the arch, looking as if carved in wood.
[Please give more wisdom to your children, old spirit. Befitting for guardians of the Yggdrasill.]
The arch shone and the entire Yggdrasill vibrated with a sad bang sound as if listening to Shen’s pleadings.
[Thank you.] → Shen
Shen then looked at the demon prince and he said with the same neutral voice.
[You tried to bring the destruction of this world. I should eliminate you completely, but that’s against the rules of the universe. As such, I decided to just destroy your corporeal carcass. I’ll make you repent in Tartaros, demon.]
From Shen’s hand, a black spear appeared. It was the element of corrosion and it would corrode any material, however durable it is. One single touch and everything will disintegrate, turning into dust.
The prince shivered when he saw the dark spear and sinister aura. He knew that Shen would completely kill him with that spear, not leaving even the bones intact.
“I won’t die here!” → Demon’s Prince
Right when Shen threw the spear, the prince crushed a small, black stone and a violet blinding flash covered his entire body. Just as the spear grazed past him, he then disappeared in thin air, together with the spear.
“Gach!” → Demon’s Prince
After he reappeared inside the Demon King’s Castle, the prince collapsed on the ground in pain. His arm started to corrode, going up from his elbow to his shoulder. Shen wasn’t able to kill him instantly but he was able to graze him with the spear, making the spear enter his arm then corrode him from the inside.
“Damn it!” → Demon’s Prince
The prince cut his own arm right below the shoulder by using the sword. His forehead was sweating while he tried to cover his wound that was bleeding profoundly. The prince then looked at his arm, which corroded until it literally disappeared, not even dust remained from it. The prince’s face started to pale, thinking that if he weren’t a little bit faster, his heart might’ve been next.
W-what a ridiculous spell. This is not magic from this world! T-that Shen, who is he? → Demon’s Prince
After remembering his dark and at the same time shining eyes, the prince shuddered again.
I need to report it to father… → Demon’s Prince
Everyone looked with fear at Shen and even the woman from beside him had her eyes opened wide with shock. The two spirits, which swam or flew around the arch, disappeared while the arch was repairing. The one who repaired the arch was not the elf woman but Shen, not giving her time to release the accumulated power, making it flow outside her and entering back the confused elves around the tree. Everything turned back to normal, leaving the elves to stare in a daze, questioning themselves about what just happened.
