Chapter 600: Creation

Chapter 600 Creation

Chen Xiaolian did now know what was beyond the door.

He only knew one thing. Whatever was waiting for him after those three stages may well be the true test of this game.

He did not even ask Phoenix how she ended up a captive, or the whereabouts of Nagase Komi and the old man Sawakita.

It was not because Chen Xiaolian did not care about those companions of his. Rather, at that moment in time, he knew that asking those questions was pointless.

If they were already dead, there was naturally nothing else to say. If they were being held captive, he will be able to save them by defeating this enemy.

There was no point in asking.

Phoenix watched as Chen Xiaolian pulled open the door with a look of determination. As he was about to step inside, she abruptly shouted.

“Xiaolian.”

“Mm?”

Chen Xiaolian turned his head around.

“I am sorry. For now, I cannot fight alongside you.” Phoenix took a deep breath. 

Chen Xiaolian was startled. Next, he smiled and said, “It is fine.”

Biting her lip, Phoenix hesitated a moment before walking to Chen Xiaolian’s side. There, she whispered into his ear, “My True Samadhi Fire has a very long cool down time. Furthermore, my magic force is now depleted. I will not be able to help you out much.”

Chen Xiaolian’s heart skipped a beat. He was quick to understand the sincerity shown by Phoenix.

The weakness of every Awakened ones’ decisive move was their biggest secret. That was especially true of the cool down time of their skills. It was something that must not be casually revealed. Otherwise, should their enemies grasp that information and utilize the information, it could lead to a life-threatening situation. 

Phoenix’s willingness to reveal that information to Chen Xiaolian was a great show of sincerity.

“I need 50 minutes,” said Phoenix in a whisper. “My cool down is 50 minutes. So… … if you need any help, you will need to hold for at least 50 minutes.”

“… … I understand.” Chen Xiaolian nodded solemnly. Regardless of whether he would require Phoenix’s assistance, her sincerity was something that had to be respected.

“Also… … I feel that this opponent may be more susceptible to physical attacks. Earlier on, when I was defeated and captured, I could sense it. This opponent’s control of magic is very strong. Using magic or energy-based attacks might prove less effective on this fellow. Try using more physical attacks against this fellow.” Phoenix quickly continued, “This opponent’s control ability is especially strong. Back then, I was defeated because this opponent was able to control too many monsters. Utilizing the human wave tactic, that fellow depleted by magic force. In the end, I was captured. To be able to control so many monsters, this opponent’s level of magic must be at least several notches above mine.” 

“You… … did not fight that fellow in person?” Chen Xiaolian frowned. “That person only used controlled monsters to defeat you?”

“My True Samadhi Fire is not an AOE skill. It can only target a single unit, thus… … that fellow used human wave tactic against me. I had no way around it. I could not even go all out against that fellow.”

“I understand.” Chen Xiaolian nodded his head. “Vast magic power and strong control abilities. Try to use more physical force. I will remember that.”

After saying that, Chen Xiaolian smiled at Phoenix and turned to look behind Phoenix.

Lin Leyan was giving him a melancholic and unwilling gaze.

“If… … I die…” Chen Xiaolian thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. “Forget it, it is nothing.”

He had originally thought about entrusting some matters to Phoenix. However, after having considered it, should he die, entrusting matters to Phoenix, who was no match for that opponent, would be pointless. She too, might die in the end. Thus, there was no need for anymore nonsensical words.

“Find Tian Lie, Nicole, and Soo Soo. Maybe, if we all work together, we may have a chance.” Chen Xiaolian suddenly tugged Phoenix’s hand.

Phoenix was shocked by that move. Due to Chen Xiaolian’s action of tugging her hand, the two of them leaned close to each other. She was unable to stop herself from blushing.

As she was feeling apprehensive, she felt Chen Xiaolian shove something into her hand. The look of Chen Xiaolian’s face remained the same as he retracted his hand. After giving Phoenix a deep look, he turned, pulled open the door and stepped inside.

Phoenix stood there and felt the thing in her palm. It was as small as a button. Gripping it, she felt it to be hard. However, it quickly dispersed and disappeared into her palm.

What is that?

Phoenix was stunned.

…

Chen Xiaolian pulled open the door and walked inside. After taking one step through the door frame, he was abruptly greeted by a dazzling ray of light.

The sky was sunny and clear.

A good weather.

Chen Xiaolian knitted his brows and checked his surroundings. The door behind him was still there. However, the scene before him… 

The corners of his lips twitched to form a ridiculing smile. Next, he raised his head up at the sky and shouted, “You really do love messing with others.”

“You are welcome. I still cannot capture you yet. My puppet technique cannot thoroughly figure out your innermost thoughts. For now, though, using a mental prying technique, I will be able to more or less pry out some of your preferences. I created this scene specifically for you based on what I discovered through the mental prying technique. What do you think? To have a decisive battle that will determine life and death here, at a place that you really like, probably. This place is something of a memorable place, right?”

Chen Xiaolian slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, seemingly to feel the warmth from the rays of sunlight.

A few seconds later, he nodded his head. “Although I know this is all fake… … your creation feels very real. To manipulate the space to such a degree of perfection, of all my encounters, besides the system, you are the second to be able to do this.”

“Oh? Even after excluding the system, I am still the second?” The voice gave what felt like a smile and said, “Let me think… … the other one, could it be… … that emotionless program for Zero City?”

Chen Xiaolian suddenly raised his head to look up at the sky.

“Are you very surprised?” The voice laughed and continued, “I am sorry. Although I know you have a lot of questions, this is the time for battle, not for questions. If you want to ask questions, win first.”

Chen Xiaolian recollected himself and shouted aloud, “Fine! Let us fight, then! Come on out!”

At that very moment, the thing standing before Chen Xiaolian was surprisingly a large building made of steel frames and glasses. It was a very modern building.

Shockingly, it was an… … airport terminal.

Chen Xiaolian stood beside a road at the waiting area before the terminal. The area around him was empty. Although the sun was shining above, the space that the other fellow had created was playing host to Chen Xiaolian alone.

On the other side of the terminal building were the runways. Some commercial airplanes could be seen resting there… …

It really does look real.

Chen Xiaolian sneered inwardly.

At the same time, he also suppressed the tinge of sorrow within his heart.

This place was where he had met Qiao Qiao for the first time.

Within his memories, that girl with long and straight black hair had, during their first encounter, mistook him for a pervert stalking Soo Soo. She had been quite rude to him back then… …

Mm, it had happened here, right before this airport.

This is where I had first met Qiao Qiao.

“You really are capable of messing around with people’s minds.” Chen Xiaolian retrieved two swords from his Storage Watch. He held the swords and had the blades of the swords intersect before his legs. Next, with a cold expression, he turned to look around. “Hurry up, I am getting impatient.”

After a few seconds of silence, Chen Xiaolian abruptly jerked his head to look behind him.

At the other end, a scraping sound could suddenly be heard coming from the airport’s flyover bridge. It sounded as though something metallic was being dragged across the surface of the ground.

Chen Xiaolian furrowed his brows and slowly got into a combat ready posture.

Next, however, his face turned ugly to behold.

A figure slowly emerged from the flyover bridge.

A tall and mighty body, like a mountain, and outfitted with full-body armour. Black flames danced upon the surface of the black coloured armour. The figure had seemingly stepped out from the depths of hell itself.

That was especially true for the large, black coloured sword the figure held. The blade of the sword was already damaged. Yet, as the figure dragged it across the road, it ploughed through the concrete road, creating sparks along the way.

It was a figure with the qualifications to become a nightmare for most people. With but a glance, Chen Xiaolian was able to recognize the figure.

Fallen Avenger, Lancelot.

An existence that had tormented him throughout several instance dungeons and given him no small amount of troubles.

After all this time, however, things had changed. Chen Xiaolian now possessed Skyblade’s power. He also had Bai Qi, who had grown powerful to the point of becoming a mystery. For the present Chen Xiaolian, the Fallen Avenger was no longer that much of a threat.

Back then, however, before he had received Skyblade’s legacy, before he had gotten to know about Bai Qi’s mysterious past, this Fallen Avenger was practically like a nightmare.

In a few instance dungeons, the Fallen Avenger had hunted him to the point of no escape. It would not be an exaggeration to say that, besides Tian Lie and Shen, the Fallen Avenger was the hardest opponent he had ever encountered.

And now, this existence that should have been dealt with had re-appeared before him.

Clearly, the masters of this place must have something to do with this.

Just by looking at the Fallen Avenger, wreathed in black flames as he walked toward him, feelings that were pushed deep within him, the pressure, the sense of danger, and various others welled up.

The hairs on his body were all erect.

You really… … know how to find an opponent for me.

Chen Xiaolian gnashed his teeth and shouted out furiously, “Didn’t you say I will be able to meet you after passing the three stages? You’re bringing out something like this again? Are you just unwilling to personally step forward to face me?”

“Defeat this opponent before anything else.” A sneer could be heard from the voice coming from the sky. Next, silence.

“Damn it,” Chen Xiaolian swore. He looked at the Fallen Avenger, who was moving toward him from afar. Without showing any hesitation, Chen Xiaolian gripped the two swords in his hands and vaulted through the air.

He vaulted a distance of over 10 metres. As he was right above the Fallen Avenger’s head, he swung both his swords down.

The Fallen Avenger swung his black coloured sword up high and blocked off Chen Xiaolian’s attack. The might displayed by the Fallen Avenger caused Chen Xiaolian’s whole body to flinch. Chen Xiaolian was sent flying backward by the clash. However, before his feet touched the ground, he bent his body and kicked himself forward with a muffled roar.

In an instant, golden light burst out from his body. Skyblade’s power was unleashed and his two swords shone with golden light.

Chen Xiaolian wanted to end this battle quickly. Thus, he had immediately utilized Skyblade’s [S] class power.

Back then, Chen Xiaolian had to exhaust himself just to keep the Fallen Avenger at bay. Presently, however, he possessed the ability to unleash short bursts of [S] class power, Skyblade’s power. At that very moment, Chen Xiaolian had no desire to waste any time on this opponent.

After unleashing Skyblade’s power, Chen Xiaolian swung his two swords forward once more. The Fallen Avenger already had his black sword placed before him to block Chen Xiaolian’s attack. This time, however, the golden light enveloping the two swords cut through the black sword like cutting through butter. Without making any sounds, the two swords cleaved the black sword into three.

Next, the swords bit right into the Fallen Avenger’s waist area. A slicing sound rang out as the two swords cleaved the Fallen Avenger’s waist into two.

The two swords moved like a pair of scissors, cutting the Fallen Avenger’s waist into two.

The Fallen Avenger’s body fell to the ground with a crash. After his body was split into two, they rolled on the ground.

Chen Xiaolian steadied himself and inhaled a few times before looking at his opponent.

The Fallen Avenger, whose body had been cut into two, struggled for a bit. The mouth within the helmet screamed out wretchedly, but the black flames enveloping his body was turning dim, extinguishing at a noticeable rate. 

As for his severed lower body, the armour that was also enveloped in black flames broke into fragments before turning into ashes, dissipating into the wind. At the same time, the armour on his upper body was also quickly breaking down. Although he continued to scream out sharply, a scream of unwillingness, the Fallen Avenger appeared incapable of stopping himself from dying… …

“All right, you have had enough fun with your games. Now, isn’t it time for us to have a proper duel?” Chen Xiaolian shouted.

“Says who? You think the Fallen Avenger to be such a simple existence? What a wasteful idiot. Come, I will show you the true terror of the Fallen Avenger’s final form!” The voice spoke up once more. However, the words spoken by the voice left Chen Xiaolian stunned. “When my mental prying technique revealed that you had once encountered this thing, I got so pissed I laughed. You would waste this high-grade puppet that people could only yearn for by killing it… … truly, an idiot. Let me show you its true power.”

After that, a beam of holy light suddenly descended from the sky. The beam of light shone down upon the upper body part of the disintegrating Fallen Avenger.

When the beam of holy light first shone upon the Fallen Avenger, the black flames upon his body dissipated at a greater rate. Suddenly, however, the Fallen Avenger issued out a loud roar. Next, using the last of his strength, he flipped his body around and laid his body out in a prostrate position. Although his lower body had disappeared, he placed his hands before his chest, intersecting them.

The roars coming out from his mouth gradually grew softer. It sounded as though he was rapidly chanting something.

Although Chen Xiaolian was unable to understand the words spoken, he had this inexplicable feeling. He could feel an indescribable sense of devotion and… … the atmosphere of repentance.

That was it, repentance.

The white beam of light rapidly disintegrated the black armour he wore. Suddenly, the Fallen Avenger raised his body upright. Next, both his hands moved to clasp his chest armour.

Following a painful cry, he then tore out the broken black armour.

The thing within the armour became exposed to the white beam of light. Unexpectedly, it then transformed into a clump of white light and floated up to the sky.

Chen Xiaolian’s heart lurched. Instinctively, he had sensed danger. As he was thinking about using this opportunity to attack and disrupt this process that was giving off an air of danger… …

The clump of white light suddenly fell onto the ground some distance away from him. After that, it transformed into the shape of a human.

A pure, white and silver armour, sleek and exquisite. Behind it… … a pair of wings unfurled.

Shockingly, it was the image of an armoured angel.

However, the pair of wings was not of the white colour spoken of in legends. Rather… 

Black.

The ‘Fallen Avenger’ raised his head forward and Chen Xiaolian was able to see a somewhat familiar face. Surprisingly, it was the same as the Lancelot he had encountered back in the London instance dungeon. However, it would appear that he had grown younger and had returned to his peak state.

Lancelot’s eyes rose and the two of them exchanged glances.

His pair of pupils were also black in colour.

The voice from the sky spoke up once more. This time, it contained a tone of ridicule. “Taste it for yourself, the Fallen Avenger’s final form, Avenging Angel!”

The Avenging Angel abruptly spread open his wings. After that, he shot forward at Chen Xiaolian like a sharp arrow.

Chen Xiaolian’s pupils suddenly contracted. A figure had instantly appeared before him. A sword appeared within the Avenging Angel’s grip and he slashed down at Chen Xiaolian.

Chen Xiaolian clenched his teeth. Without hesitating, he hastily activated Skyblade’s power. His two swords, shining with golden light, swung upward to meet the attack.

Despite the limited number of times he could utilize Skyblade’s power, Chen Xiaolian had not hesitated to use it. Because he had sensed intense danger.

Clang!

Their blades clashed. This time, Chen Xiaolian’s swords were no longer capable of cutting the Avenging Angel’s sword. Instead… …

Boom! 

The two swords that Chen Xiaolian were wielding shattered while his entire person was sent flying. His body slammed through the large terminal building behind him, crashing through several layers of glass walls and steel frames in the process. In the end, he crashed out of the building and into the runway.

Next, his body slammed into one of the vacant airplanes there, causing the area of impact to cave in as he continued flying backward and through the airplane. The same spectacle repeated itself a few times before Chen Xiaolian finally fell to the ground.

Both of Chen Xiaolian’s hands were completely stained with blood. He looked upward in disbelief as he gasped for breath. The blood on his face blocked his line of sight.

Far in the distance, the Avenging Angel looked at Chen Xiaolian with his pair of black and indifferent eyes.

“This, this is impossible! How could he be so strong? I, I had clearly used [S] class power!” Chen Xiaolian struggled to stand up.

The Avenging Angel spread open his wings and flew over. Then, he landed gently before Chen Xiaolian and looked down at him.

The voice from the sky spoke up, once again with that ridiculing tone.

“No need to be too surprised. What is so surprising about [S] class? Avenging Angel is originally of the [S] class within the system’s classification.”

Chen Xiaolian’s body gave a shudder and he looked up at the sky in disbelief.

“So… … you mean to say, you can casually create an [S] class expert from thin air?”

…