Although she knew the Jade Dynasty owning a proud history of making a joke out of the world's talents, until today, Ilkaalt had never experienced the depth of that truth. In the past, she may have been able to run amok before Else, but on this occasion, she absolutely couldn't find that confidence again.
Floundering, she stepped back and looked left and right, seeking an escape road. Alas, only the sprawling corpses of the vanquished queens laid in the vicinity. In despair, Ilkaalt teetered.
"What a disappointment. You don't even have the will to fight. Konrad was right, before setbacks, you have no backbones."
Else berated with slumping interest. And seeing how those feline, sapphire eyes chastised her, Ilkaalt felt a wave of ire fuel her veins and suppress her cowardice.
"What did you just say?"
She questioned in a trembling voice. Her reaction failed to trigger any interest in Else who merely shook her head.
"The truth. You're an ant in body and spirit. Not worth sparing a glance to. No wonders Konrad couldn't be bothered with you. Your lot can only serve as a one-time sheathe. But it's fine. Next time you face destruction, if you beg hard enough, perhaps he will choose your cunt instead of your neck."
Else stated and turned heels, no longer paying Ilkaalt any attention. In tandem, Verena and Yvonne vanished to reappear at the front, and the three prepared to leave, without a care for the shivering Ilkaalt.
"Take that back!"
She barked, and shot toward Else's back with her right hand morphing into a claw! Else didn't budge, and right before Ilkaalt's claw could graze her dress, a mixture of Truth and Space laws flawlessly anchored her where she stood!
"Worthless."
With a spin, Else turned on one-hundred-eighty degrees and backhanded Ilkaalt across the cheek!
*Pah!*
With that resounding slapping sound, Ilkaalt spiraled in the air before collapsing on the distant ground! Blood gushed from her lips while her bloodshot eyes flared with unsolvable wrath and shame. But with Else's suppression, she couldn't move!
From the distance, Else threw a casual kick, and a small space vortex appeared to carry it right into Ilkaalt's face and send her rolling in the sky before cratering right below.
Without further ado, Else turned and left alongside her partners.
"Why didn't you kill her?"
Verena inquired as the three approached the World Tree.
"According to Konrad, Ilkaalt's body possesses a hidden seal that automatically robs the life essence of all the Zenith Ants not killed by him. That means queens, elders and all the rest. Although she currently can't make use of that seal's power, it's still there. Right now, only the Ant Goddess can activate it.
In the nearby future, it will play a critical role in the final part of his chess game with the ants."
Else replied to Yvonne and Verena's surprise. For Nessriane to bestow such a seal upon her daughter could only mean two things. Either her affection for Ilkaalt ran deep, or some nefarious ploy lay in wait. Although Konrad made no hypothesis on that topic, with the Zenith Ants' usual modus operandi, Else couldn't help but lean on the latter.
Of course, she could be wrong. Perhaps such affection did exist in the destruction-crazed demon ants.
Through another space rift, the trio landed before the World Tree which now stood unguarded. Of course, the World Tree's most reliable defense would forever be Nessriane that hid lay within, controlling it all with a firm grip. As long as she occupied that position, even Konrad with his previous strength couldn't claim her life.
But lying low was one thing, preventing interference, another. Were it not for that fear of sabotage at another critical instance, Nessriane would not have dispatched her forces to guard entrance to the World Tree.
Alas, they proved useless.
Now, from within the comfort of the World Tree, Nessriane's eyes opened! Unlike before, she no longer stood in the base, but at the very center of the tree. That position alone was proof of how close she stood to the long-awaited goal!
But when those three women appeared, she knew that once more, her objectives faced critical challenges!
Nessriane truly couldn't understand how the trio managed to pinpoint the exact, final moment of her merge! She didn't know that Else and Verena's control of Fate Laws was only a step away from Wielding.
Of course, they could foresee the instant. And even before the three could make their move, Nessriane's voice erupted.
"Again and again, your Jade Dynasty has thwarted my plans and ruined my achievements! Today, if I don't skin you all alive, my name is not Nessriane!"
Nessriane rasped, and from the World Tree, massive withering force erupted alongside dozens of spear-like vines to slam into the trio! This time, even Yvonne's Essence Ruler Physique couldn't stop the move!
With a wave of her hand, Else raised seven space vortexes that swallowed all the vines and sent them back to Nessriane while Verena used Truth Laws to alter the force Nessriane put into the blow and increase it tenfold!
Yvonne didn't stay idle, and raised her right hand for a punch. As she did, massive killing intent erupted alongside waves of darkness and hellfire to wrap her figure while an aura of invincibility burst from her form!
"Dao Law: Extermination Fist!"
Yvonne bellowed with a punch. From that strike, darkness gushed alongside a hellfire tempest that followed the reversed strike to slam into the World Tree!
"Useless!"
Nessriane scoffed and from within the tree, her hands flashed in incantation gestures. Dazzling life essence unfurled, creating a Life Dome that stopped all blows where they stood. And with a quick probe, Verena and Else were forced to accept that they couldn't alter the structure of that dome.
Right now, Nessriane only wanted one thing, obliterate those peons, and complete the merge!
And seeing how close she was to that stage, Else shook her head.
"That woman is stark-raving-mad. After draining the World Tree to this level and pushing it into Withering, merging with it is no different from courting death. Although if she can use the merge as the foundation to reach Life Embodiment, she could avert all negative changes, that's a massive IF."
Else remarked while orbs of pure life essence formed around the World Tree to target them all.
"On the road of cultivation, if you're not willing to gamble, how can you break the shackles imposed by destiny? I actually appreciate that part of her."
Yvonne replied while her hairs swayed at her back.
"Unfortunately, we must help her preserve her life:
Absolute War Sense!"
Yvonne exclaimed while stretching out her clenched fists. Instantaneously, massive War Laws erupted alongside Truth Laws to boost her strength, speed, resilience, and magnify her instincts thousands of times!
The Truth of her existence changed, and she went from physical to ethereal, all while still being able to affect those she slammed!
And slam she did!
Before Nessriane could process the change, Yvonne's fist had banged her Life Dome, obliterated it, and crashed into the World Tree!
"OOUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIN!"
The World Tree wailed as its bark crumbled and its trunk collapsed under Yvonne's brutal assault! Assault that landed right in the spot Konrad's dagger had affected beforehand!
With that one move that contained the full might of Yvonne raised thousands of folds, the connection between Nessriane and the tree was ruptured, hacked by the combination between ethereal forces, truth laws and the Essence Ruler Physique!
*BAM*
Ejected from the tree, Nessriane tumbled onto the ground!
In the instant her face kissed the dirt, the realization that more than 129,000 years of work were shredded into pieces hit Nessriane like a rampaging bulldozer and she howled in grief!
"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
