Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Bang! Ye Qingxuan took three steps back.
Faced with Dies Irae, which was the natural enemy of his music theory, unlike what Ye Qingxuan had imagined, Wagner was not restrained by many limitations, instead the gushing power became more and more violent.
It was a power that made it seem as if the heavens and the earth were collapsing towards the enemy…
Feeling the power acting on the blade, Ye Qingxuan suddenly felt a strong doubt in his heart. Is the old man really so sick that he is dying like what the rumors claim? Instead of being in decline, his current state seems even more incredible than that back in his heyday, no?
The old man gave Ye Qingxuan a totally different feeling of pressure as compared to that imposed upon him by other saints.
The pressure did not come from his power, but from his will.
The hostility coming from the old man was like iron, not giving Ye Qingxuan any chance to catch his breath.
Every collision of the blades made Ye Qingxuan feel his will shaking. The old man felt similarly arrogant, but unlike the somberness, Hendel made one feel, Wagner was like a star revolving in its orbit. Something firmer was supporting him, and it was deterring Ye Qingxuan… even though Ye Qingxuan was seemingly on the cusp of victory no matter how one looked at it.
“You must go all out, you can’t afford to give him any exploitable opportunity!” In his mind, a voice told him so. “If you relax in the slightest bit, you will be shredded by his power and burned into ashes!”
Have I estimated wrongly, and are saints actually all such fierce fellas?
“Hey, you’re an elderly gentleman, don’t be so fierce.” Parrying the flame-bladed sword, Ye Qingxuan gazed at Wagner and asked curiously, “Aren’t you worried of getting a brain hemorrhage?”
“Rest assured, I am still considered physically strong.” Wagner laughed hoarsely, and the iron stream of Valkyries rushed at Ye Qingxuan, pressing on step by step. “This kind of battle can’t even be considered a warm up, young man!”
Completely disregarding the blade of the New Testament Sword striking down, the flame-bladed epee was lifted up, and it struck toward Ye Qingxuan’s face. A few meters away, the pressure brewing up in the blade almost made Ye Qingxuan’s hairs stand on end.
Ye Qingxuan couldn’t help but doubt whether he was suppressing the old man or being suppressed by the old man?
No, something is wrong…
Comparing their powers, Ye Qingxuan had the New Testament Sword in hand and was supported by the projection of the Land of Dreams. He was the embodiment of the Net of Aether, and he had completely entered the domain of upper-level catastrophes. Plus, he had the movement of Dies Irae in hand, which was like a natural enemy to Wagner. Moreover, he possessed an explosiveness that far surpassed ordinary catastrophes.
But upon facing a natural enemy like me, surprisingly, Wagner has not opted for attrition warfare, but instead he has forcefully attempted a direct confrontation?
What makes him feel that he can win?
The death of each Valkyrie is equivalent to a trauma to his scepter, and it will only accelerate his demise. In other words, he is only committing a seemingly bold and heroic act of seeking out self-destruction.
What on earth is he trying to do…
Also…
Ye Qingxuan looked at him, and his gaze turned cold. “What on earth are the Asgardians trying to do?”
Wagner smiled. “How would I know?”
At the moment, Ye Qingxuan finally realized it. Wagner had never intended for their fight to come to a conclusive outcome!
He just wants to hold me back! Even if it is only temporary…
“Your Majesty, please destroy the Tree of World as soon as possible! The longer we wait, the more likely it is for us to run into trouble!” With Ye Qingxuan’s voice, the embodiment of the catastrophe advanced amid the rumble, no longer caring about her own defenses. The power of the catastrophe operated with a rumble, urging countless sea demons to help her block the bombardment of Gungnir, attacking recklessly.
At the same time, Ye Qingxuan sighed softly at his enemy. “In this case, I’m afraid that I can no longer take into consideration the dignity and honor of musicians in the upcoming duel.”
“It’s only right and proper, one should be unscrupulous in battles!” Wagner changed his posture, skillfully putting on the attacking stance of the Knights Templar. The expression on his burning face was composed and resolute. “Please don’t hold back, dear sir.”
Ye Qingxuan sighed and closed his eyes, lifting the New Testament Sword high.
A mighty melody played on the blade, and the projection of the Land of Dreams descended once more. In the darkness of the universe, endless starlight emerged, coursing throught the Net of Aether together with Ye Qingxuan’s tenacity.
From the New World!
At the moment, in the realm of aether, the Land of Dreams shone brightly. It was as if the fog concealing the future had been cleared. All the elements that had been connected as one by the Net of Aether and the Land of Dreams, and all the musicians resonating with the Land of Dreams heard the melody from the distant future.
The contours of the crystal polygon emerged from the Land of Dreams. Countless modules rotated rapidly, affecting all the instruments of harmonious melody that were connected to it in the world.
The first connection, the second connection, and the third connection.
Information transmitted with the way of deciphering.
The Net of Aether opened.
The instruments of harmonious melody were preheated and the alchemy arrays operated.
The connection via the Heaven Ladder was complete.
In the next moment, all the war musicians felt the core music theory in their bodies operating on its own, and their sound of heart shook. Strands of aether wove into movements, passing through layers of alchemy arrays. Along the Heaven Ladder, the brilliance of countless stars coursed through the invisible network in a flash, and gathered between the 41 giant instruments of harmonious melody of the crystal polygon.
Above the sky, it was as if Venus had lighted up.
The Guide hanging high at the topmost of the sky was started, looking down at the earth from the faraway skies. It guided travelers to the road leading to the future, directing all the power to where Ye Qingxuan was located.
As Hephaestus was not here, it was the blade in his hand that was bearing the strong, unparalleled pressure in Ye Qingxuan’s stead.
In an instant, the New Testament Sword was burned red by the horrifying torrent of aether. Then, the color changed from bright red to steel blue. After undergoing several changes, it entered the domain of pure white.
160,000 musical movements were gathered here.
Matter seemed to have dissolved in the torrent of aether, and the New Testament remaining in Ye Qingxuan’s hands at the moment turned into light.
Just by holding the hilt, one would feel as if one was about to dissolve in the mighty power as well.
“This is “From The New World”? It is indeed a mighty movement leading to the future,” Wagner praised it sincerely. “In terms of structure and scale, I am not as good as you are.”
“I’m sorry, Master Wagner… Such an unfair victory is really not what I have intended.”
Ye Qingxuan was expressionless.
He lifted the hilt, raised the light the New Testament had turned it high and struck at his enemy!
Wagner raised his head and gazed at the stream of light of destruction descending from the sky.
The endless pressure was like the collapse and fall of the iron skies. It need not even attack, as the gravitational pull radiating off the 160,000 movements was enough to destroy all the movements in front of it.
At the moment, he held the flame-bladed epee in his hand and lifted his head to look up at the brilliant stream of light in the sky.
“Everything passes from birth into death, it is only right and proper,” Wagner murmured softly. In his hand, on the hilt of the burning sword, the real name outlined by elements emerged silently—Lævateinn.
The Sword of Dusk and Destruction — Lævateinn!
An elegy played from the blade, mourning the end of the last winter and the last dusk. It sang about the fires of destruction rising from hell, from the mortal realm, from heaven, and from all parts of the world.
The fire would burn the nine main worlds away, pierce through the core of the world, tear the heavens and the earth apart, and bury everything, tangible or intangible in the fire.
The gods and the world would meet their end here.
At the moment, the blood-like flames swallowed and burned him, transforming all the power into the purest form of destruction. Then, the flames rose into the sky.
Destruction and destruction collided.
Fire and fire fought each other.
Light and light swallowed each other.
As if countless pieces of steel were colliding, the bangs resounded throughout Asgard, and the roar in the flames reverberated in everyone’s ear.
The skies broke apart, and a hurricane swayed and spread. Its huge eye slowly formed, but was torn apart by a more terrifying power the next moment.
In a flash, it was all over.
The light dimmed and dissipated, and the flames went out.
On the scorched ground, countless particles of dust and frost fell like snow, mixing together.
Ye Qingxuan gazed at the chaos with a complicated look.
Had it not been necessary, he wouldn’t have wanted to kill Wagner, even though the old man was his enemy. He even felt that it was a great honor to have such an enemy.
But soon, his gaze turned from resignation to shock.
Because amid the dust and frost, a stumbling figure slowly walked towards him.
It was Wagner.
He was still alive…
Propping his body up with the broken blade, Wagner staggered. The flames on his body was like a candle flame flickering weakly in the wind, but it continued to burn stubbornly and refused to be extinguished.
He looked at Ye Qingxuan and slowly lifted his right arm that could still somewhat be considered complete, and pointed the broken blade at the enemy.
“Again!” On the broken face, his eyes were still bright. No power was reflected within, but they were still like fiery suns.
“I have yet to die, young man.” He announced to his enemy, “You have yet to win!”
Ye Qingxuan was silent, and after a long time, he sighed softly. “I lost.” He didn’t want to continue fighting Wagner anymore.
“What sort of joke are you saying, don’t let me feel like you are accompanying a shameless old man at his games. Ye Qingxuan, this is war, how can a war end without death?
“If you have even the slightest bit of respect for me, then raise your sword.” Wagner looked at Ye Qingxuan coldly, his voice hoarse. “Everything passes from birth into death, and it is only right and proper for the battle to come to an end!”
Ye Qingxuan said nothing, just looked at him, his gaze full of sorrow and pity.
A sigh sounded.
“Enough, Mr. Wagner, it’s already enough.” On the tower of pure white, the old musician lowered his head, not daring to look at the saint’s figure from the back. He just implored in a low tone, “Thank you for everything that you have done for Asgard, you need not sacrifice any more.”
In the silence, only the sound of the fragments peeling off from the broken body could be heard.
“Is that so?” Wagner stopped, and after a long time, he seemed to have realized something. Lævateinn landed on the ground, along with his broken right arm.
After stopping, he couldn’t even maintain the completeness of his body. The broken face slowly turned, and he looked at Ye Qingxuan. “Sorry, it seems that I have won this battle by being a shameless old man.”
“It’s only right and proper.” Ye Qingxuan nodded, and replied like how Wagner had, “One should be unscrupulous in battles.”
Upon hearing Ye Qingxuan’s answer, Wagner smiled softly and seemed to have been freed of a burden. “Then, I can also be considered as… having accomplished my mission…”
He closed his eyes.
Under the shattered iron skies, illuminated by the dim sunshine, Wagner’s body fell apart, turning into ashes and dissipating in the wind.
Only a dim piece of magical gold fell onto the ground, covered in cracks.
Ye Qingxuan bent over and picked up the broken ring. Looking at Wagner’s last remaining legacy, he couldn’t help but sigh.
Yes, Wagner won.
He used his own power to buy Asgard three final minutes which were the most crucial, bringing an opportunity for Asgard to turn the tide in the war, even though the price was his own death…
He did not use despicable means to delay, nor did he win with treacherous calculations.
He won fair and square.
I lost.
Then, he heard a rumble coming from the depths of the ground. On the tower of pure white, countless alchemy arrays shone, and the huge alchemy array known as the Tree of World was slowly rising from the depths of the soil. It was as if the huge, giant tree had come alive, pulling out its roots from the earth.
The terrifying fruits hidden beneath the earth were pulled out as well.
As the heavens and the earth shook, the White Tower collapsed with a rumble.
Innumerable silver-white alchemy arrays peeled off from the White Tower, and the roots were withdrawn from the depths of the earth, pulling out the fruits that were finally done brewing up.
A behemoth was emerging from the depths of the earth.
Within the glaring light and the enchantment of the school of abstinence, the steel giant that had been slumbering like an embryo slowly opened his eyes. As the alchemy arrays of the Tree of World passed through the enchantment and attached themselves to his body, it was as if blood had finally begun to circulate in its blood vessels.
In his chest, the divinity which was surging like thunder began pumping, guiding the mighty aether flow to course through the blood.
It was the super gigantic armor known as the Land Giant, the strongest weapon of war in the mortal realm.
Hercules!
But now, it could no longer be addressed as Hercules. After hanging upside down from the Tree of World for seven days, he had been bestowed with divinity and mysterious powers. At the moment, it had become Odin.
Odin, the catastrophe!
After the death of the Second Prince who was the only one capable of resonating with Odin and withstanding the divinity, the current emperor, who was previously the First Prince, ordered for Odin’s vast power to be separated into parts, and many giant weapons of war were created with its power.
What was originally the Land Giant was also provided with relief, and it evolved from ordinary metal into the container for such a huge force.
Bestowing steel with a soul.
For quite a long time, it had been absorbing the geothermal energy of hundreds of volcanoes in Asgard with the arrays of the Tree of World, and it evolved beneath the White Tower. At the moment, the final step was finally completed.
Just like Ye Qingxuan’s smelting of Catinat, with the arrays of the Tree of World and the Land Giant, the Asgardians finally mastered the inhuman power completely as human beings.
At the moment, strengthened by the Tree of World, Hercules, which was made of metal of the mortal realm, had become Odin, the godly armor.
The steel giant over a hundred meters high wore the crown of thunder on its head, and slowly descended from the sky like a god. It landed on the ground, and the horrifying brilliance of Gungnir emerged from Odin’s palm.
The creation smelted by the Asgardians with taboo technology, as well as the dedication and sacrifices of countless musicians for centuries, Odin the godly catastrophe irrigated by divinity, had awakened here.
It was a throne that Arthur had once longed desperately for, even in his dreams.
The ruler of heaven and earth, the eternal emperor of the mortal realm and hell!
At the same time, rising from the depths of the earth were brilliant glows representing saints. They had probably been helping Hercules to integrate the divinity and complete the final steps all this while.
But what surprised Ye Qingxuan was that he couldn’t recognize any of the four saints. None of the saints had appeared in the information gathered by the various countries before, and they were not on the list of surviving saints at all.
Brand new saints?
In the sea of aether, the elements outlined their real names.
Verdi, Mahler, Puccini, Telemann…
They were simply unheard of!
