Chapter 173 - Nii, Prior Of The Finals

Something like this does not happen once but thrice, frice, and so on. Basically, all scenes circled by Narukami showed the same thing of him getting killed by Ryu. With the same, betrayed expressions. It was dreadful to watch.

"Stop," said Narukami slowly as he watched himself get pierced in the head with Ryu's hand. Other scenes showed him getting his limbs mutilated before Ryu cut his throat, the head flew off as it landed with a bounce.

"Please, stop," begged Narukami with a low tone as he closed his ears. His eyes were wide yet his pupil was the size of a tip of a pen, shaking.

Cold sweat flowed down his cheek. Although what he was seeing was through a monitor. He could feel the pain but thanks to his abnormal pain tolerance, he could endure them.

The thing he couldn't stand the most was the betrayal that took place. That feeling tore his heart to pieces like a pack of wolves that didn't eat for days and finally found a little lamb.

It's kinda unfair, isn't it? The feeling of being betrayed coming from other timelines transmitted to his brain and almost drove him mad. At this rate, would he be able to trust someone else? Could he have someone else on his side after this?

Following this line of thought, Narukami said, "No! This is all that never happens in this timeline! All of you are me but a different me! You're all different! It is your fate to get betrayed but not me! I am different! I will make sure something like this doesn't happen!" Narukami vowed in his mind.

However, deep down. He was afraid that this would happen. If that was the case, wouldn't he regret it for not doing anything about such an obvious result? At the very least, he should raise his vigilance against Ryu. 

Narukami agreed with this line of thought. Ryu may be his friend but what was called a relationship, a bond, was fragile more often than not. Narukami knew doing this would make him a horrible friend but if that was what it took to survive, he had to grasp it tightly.

"Sorry, Ryu," said Narukami as he apologized. It was unpleasant to lose your trust in someone else but not like Narukami had a choice.

After he said that, the floating screens turned off rather simultaneously and faded away. It was as though their purpose was to give him a message, a warning so as to prepare himself.

"Tch." Narukami clicked his tongue.

Narukami was not going to thank them, of course. Thanks to them, It would be hard for him to trust other people. Hence he clicked his tongue.

How could he not feel that way? He was given the taste of being betrayed ten thousand times within short seconds! He felt like his heart could not withstand a single betrayal anymore.

No, probably he got numb from it? He did not know and did not have the plan to know. He was no masochist.

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"What's that supposed to mean? You don't have any time left? Are you going to die, then? Then that makes things faster, give your life to me without a fight," Narukami's ancestor demanded. Saiko dryly laughed.

"Ahaha… I can't do that. It would cause a big butterfly effect which probably could cause the end of the world. The future is already chaotic as it is, I have no intention in making it worse," he said with a shake of his head. He then continued, "Any seconds now."

Right after he said it, a hole appeared in the air and a figure fell to the ground with a heavy thud. It was Narukami!

"I've been falling… for thirty minutes!" Narukami yelled as his expression was that of fury and annoyance. His stolen expression came back after he was betrayed ten thousand times. His emotion was unstable and was hard to control and so, right now. He had a bad temper yet a calm mind.

Narukami got up from the ground and his gaze landed on Saiko.

"You! Do you have any idea how much suffering I am in that place?" Narukami asked as he pointed his index finger at Saiko. The latter responded with a bitter smile. A smile that made others instinctively think he went through much worse than Narukami.

"It will be tough from now," said Saiko as he assumed a fighting stance and locked Narukami instead of his ancestor with intense killing intent.

"So that's how it is. You're holding back and saving your stamina so that you can concentrate on Narukami. You tried to kill him from the start. Though, I don't know what he went through after he got thrown into that place," she said as she figured something out.

"I don't have time to deal with you. Tell me where Ryu is and send me where he's at," ordered Narukami.

"That's impossible, you have to face me first. That's what happens in every timeline," he refused Narukami's words.

"Why not make an exception in this one? Aren't you bored if everything goes the way it is every time? You're All Beyond's grandmaster, right? Shouldn't you be fond of something different? Something not average?" Asked Narukami.

"That mindset brings memories." He smiled. Narukami was a bit perplexed as his answer was out of his expectation.

"You want to know where Ryu is, yes? Sure, I'll give you a sneak peek," said Saiko as he fished out something from his pocket and lightly tossed it into the air. Narukami accepted and opened his hand, it was a tiny marble.

Next, a holographic scene came out of it and floated in the air. It showed Ryu killing monsters as he was soaked in blood and injuries.

A few seconds in and Ryu was panting heavily as he rested his body on the cave wall. Sweat and blood mixed into one as it dropped from his chin and splashed on the ground.

The monsters that surrounded him stopped attacking as though they were thinking about their next strategy. More of their kin and friends had died. Should they blindly attack him, they would die in vain.

After taking a rest, Ryu took a deep breath and assumed a fighting stance.

A few moments later, the monsters rushed at him all at once. It was an army of monsters. Whether Ryu is alive would depend on luck and his strength.

However, Narukami doubted he could survive that amount of monsters.

As Ryu and the monsters were about to start to fight to the death. The scene suddenly went blank as though someone accidentally tripped over the cable and the cable came loose.

Even further, it turned off when the epic part started! Talk about a bad cliffhanger!

"Where the hell did you send him?!" Narukami asked as he was infuriated and clenched his hand so hard that the marble turned to pieces. Narukami flipped his palm and the pieces fell.

"An execution ground. However, you will meet him once again if you defeat me but still, I don't quite suggest that."

"What I'm going to do has nothing to do with you and for what you've done to me, I'll pay it ten times." Aura exploded and spiritual energy surged out. Narukami was serious in fighting Saiko! Even his ancestor was shocked.

"Are you Narukami?" She asked doubtfully. This was Narukami we're talking about! Since when he fought someone ever so seriously! This must be a dream! No, an impostor!

"Get out of my descendant's body, impostor!" She cried out as she pointed her giant blade at Narukami.

"Shut up, old hag–"

Boom!

Before Narukami could end his phrase, he was kicked by her and he traversed in the air for a few meters before coming to a halt as he crashed into a tree. It swayed about as leaves fell due to the great impact.

Her kick was so powerful that Narukami felt like his stomach was burning and aching.

"Is now seriously the great time to kick me? Don't we have a common enemy?" Narukami asked rather loudly.

"Sorry, sorry. My leg slipped," she replied casually without a tinge of regret.

"You did it on purpose! You did it on purpose!"

After Narukami said that, he felt indescribable danger coming at him rapidly. His eyes shrunk upon this. In the next instant, Narukami instantly circulated his spiritual energy and lightning crackled around his body.

Tzzz

He sharply increased the output to millions of volts. Even Level 10 did not dare to come in contact with such a high voltage.

However, his spiritual energy shrunk like water in a bucket with a lot of big holes. It went down quickly.

Within seconds, he was left with half spiritual energy on his body but it was worth it as the next thing that happened was a bolt of black lightning, not stronger than Narukami struck him.

This black lightning was in the form of a black hammer.