The eyes of Ghost Emperor Jack and Bai Zemin slowly opened as they looked at each other in shock. It was as if time had stopped for both of them even though the area around them was only getting worse and worse with fragments of the spatial barrier protecting the gray corridor collapsing one after another.
The chaotic lightning flashes were like fierce whips lashing different parts of the road, a road which like an energy screen was disappearing in irregular patterns second after second.
However, in the midst of the chaotic explosions, Bai Zemin suddenly realized that although his body had been pierced from side to side from his chest to his back, he could not actually feel any pain at all.
For a few thousandths of a second Bai Zemin believed that the reason he felt no pain was because of the state of anger and sadness he was in as he knew that in the end the only course for him was death; even the fact that his life energy was diminishing might be the hidden culprit. But after what happened next, he realized that his thoughts were far from reality.
Jack opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something. The trembling in his stare was irrefutable proof that not only could he not believe what was happening, but he also could not understand how things had played out this way.
However, Bai Zemin realized that whoever was the owner of this spear that had come out of nowhere did not seem to have any interest in allowing a lowly villain to express his disbelief or utter his last words.
Bang!
The soul of the Ghost Emperor exploded in a cloud of white smoke before dissipating into nothingness.
At the same time, as the golden spear with red engravings was still impaled in his chest without him feeling any pain except for the distinct discomfort of having something piercing his flesh and bones, Bai Zemin heard the unmistakable clink of something falling to the ground.
Bai Zemin's breathing stalled for a moment before his pupils quivered.
Don't tell me…
Even in this kind of circumstance, the mere thought of the possibility that such a thing could happen made Bai Zemin's heart that seemed to have turned into dying ashes in the face of hopelessness beat again not only for the possibility that had been granted to him but also for what might have dropped to the ground.
RUMBLE…..
Suddenly, the gray road around Bai Zemin began to tremble fiercely and disappear at a rapid rate.
Bai Zemin looked down and was startled to see that approximately 70% of the road had been devoured by the chaotic lightning coming from the space beyond the protective magic barrier.
"Shit!" he screamed in panic at the sight of a small glowing object falling into the void.
If that was what he thought it was, then Bai Zemin couldn't let it go no matter what!
He used the blood from his own mutilated arm to form an extremely long arm which he extended several meters and sent it into unknown space.
Bai Zemin's face was covered in sweat as he focused on doing his best to dodge the lightning that flashed intermittently and in almost impossible to predict patterns.
After two or three precious seconds, Bai Zemin could not help but rejoice as the sensation he had hoped to feel was transmitted to his brain through the touch of blood.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!….
The magic barrier began to explode and chaos began to strike more and more of the surroundings.
Even Bai Zemin could not be spared from it this time.
However, to his pleasant surprise, the spear that was encrusted in his chest had formed a two-meter barrier around him. Every time the white lightning flashes filled with destructive energy hit the barrier, they were devoured as if the spear was an unstoppable monster whose appetite was comparable to the legendary sin of Gluttony of the 7 deadly sins that Bai Zemin had read about in many stories during his time as a high school student.
Bai Zemin used more blood to create another arm and took his severed arm, then he used his right hand to tighten his grip on the hilt of his greatsword and without even taking a second to think he ran for the portal that could take him back home.
However, things were not so simple as there were parts of the road that had vanished after being destroyed by the chaotic energy. As if that wasn't enough, space was constantly trembling as evidence of its imminent collapse.
With his current injuries and no time to drink any of the potion and the poor condition of the place he was currently in, it would be a miracle if Bai Zemin's steps did not falter.
The number of times his life had been in danger in the last ten seconds had been so many that Bai Zemin had lost count, and if it wasn't for the barrier protecting him thanks to the golden spear, he would have died at least several hundred times by now.
Bai Zemin gritted his teeth as he saw the large gap between where he was standing and the portal leading to Earth; this was a distance that in normal times he could easily cross, but in his current condition, it was quite a challenge.
Not only was he seriously injured but he was carrying a great amount of weight on his shoulders and as if that wasn't enough his Mana had dropped to 0, which was not only making him dizzy and nauseous but also making it impossible for him to use Gravity Manipulation.
He looked back and saw that the road had disappeared as the chaotic energy slowly crawled towards him.
There was no turning back.
Even if the golden spear was protecting him now, Bai Zemin doubted with all his heart that the spear could do anything about the foothold he was about to lose.
If he stood frozen, the road would end up being destroyed sooner rather than later so he would eventually fall into chaotic space which would eventually end up killing him in one way or another even with the protection of the divine weapon still on his chest.
At the same time, if he jumped, Bai Zemin had less than a 50% chance of reaching the other side safely since the portal was barely big enough to allow his body to pass through.
This time, he didn't even have Mana to harden blood platforms he could use.
Now, he could only rely on something Bai Zemin hated: Luck.
50% die / 50% live.
"Agh! Fuck!" Bai Zemin cursed through gritted teeth. He took a small step back before shouting, "I don't want to have anything to do with portals and other worlds again for at least two lifetimes!"
Then, with all the strength he had and ignoring the embracing pain, Bai Zemin leaped forward.
The white light from the portal leading to Earth reflected in Bai Zemin's dark pupils.
Unfortunately, amidst the pain, amidst the anxieties, the fear of death after receiving hopes of survival; Bai Zemin forgot that he was carrying a great amount of weight with his hand and that considering his current injuries he was far from being able to use the full power of his Strength stat to jump.
Therefore, that 50% chance was naturally not as accurate as he estimated.
* * *
Oblon World.
The mighty Emperor Thannath was in an extremely miserable state, yet his red pupils sparkled with relief.
For the first time in his life, Thannath was relieved that an existence he would usually consider an ant was gone.
He even momentarily forgot the anger of losing his wife.
After all, the blue flames that threatened to become the herald of the Oblon World had disappeared several seconds ago without warning. With the terrifying flames out of the equation, Thannath could finally focus on eliminating the shockwaves that plagued the world; something that for a Fourth Order existence was not too challenging.
"Finally… It's over." The asura emperor sighed in exhaustion.
A bitter smile bloomed on the man's face as he looked down and saw the deep dent in the center of his chest.
"To think that a 20-year-old brat could make this emperor suffer so much." Thannath sighed again before a look of hatred flashed in his eyes. "However, next time it won't be so easy. This emperor has never stumbled over the same stone twice…. The next time this emperor finds you, this emperor will take it upon himself to end your life in an instant!"
Thannath believed that sooner or later he would again come face to face with the young man named Bai Zemin who had bravely crossed the Cosmos Gate in search of revenge and to force the asuras to close the space passage leading to his world.
But the next time would be different from this one.
This time, due to his anger, Thannath could not think things through clearly and ended up making the same mistake that most of Bai Zemin's enemies made when they realized that he was just a First Order existence: underestimating him.
Thannath would never underestimate anyone again in his life and the next time he faced Bai Zemin he would give his 200% to finish him off.
"Mm?"
After recovering 70% of his Mana by drinking expensive recovery potions, Thannath suddenly noticed something and with a serious expression on his face, he clenched his magic staff as he looked up at the sky.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sky was torn apart and six enormous spatial rifts whose sizes could only be described as colossal opened as if they were the mouths of merciful monsters.
A few seconds later, hundreds of thousands of beings began to emerge from the huge space cracks and as if they were legendary gods they floated in the sky as they looked down upon the world like immortals looking down upon mortals.
Thannath's pupils contracted to the size of a needle and his legs became so weak that he immediately fell to his knees as he watched the beings that had come out of nowhere.
Angel wings, long fangs, phoenix birds, huge spaceships filled with deadly energy, and finally beings whose magical power exuded darkness with bat wings and demon tails behind them.
The asura race was a race with a few million years of history so there was no shortage of records and theories about the Higher Existences. Thannath himself had once seen a huge dragon whose power was so overwhelming that a Fourth Order existence like him felt as insignificant as an ant.
Thannath was sure that the beings who had just appeared were beings who had gone a step beyond!
Lucifer, wearing pajamas, immediately focused on the space passage in the distance that had shrunk so much that probably only his head could fit in there.
The leader of the Demonic Army left everyone speechless when at lightning speed he seemed to teleport and appear next to the closing passage.
The expression of Lucifer changed slightly as the chaotic energy shot out from the portal and began to attack him. However, as an Eighth Order existence at the top of the universe, he would naturally not be unprotected against such things just like a normal being.
After struggling a bit, he managed to shake off the chaotic energy using his own mana. Unfortunately, the space portal had closed so much that he only managed to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond.
However, Lucifer couldn't believe what he was seeing so he finally shook his head and muttered:
"I knew it. Being awake so long and expending so much energy is not good for the mind."
* * * * * * *
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