4 Hold my hand!

"How could there be heartbeat?! This vessel is barely a week old!"

Lu Ying Yun couldn't believe with what was happening right now, out of all the weird things that have happened to her ever since she assimilated with the vessel.

A beating heart from a vessel that was barely 5 days old from conception was impossible, even for beings like themselves.

"It's either the semen is incredibly strong, or the eggs have been planning for this a loong time", Xanthus replied, finding the time to joke around even when put under pressure.

"W-What nonsense are you spouting again right now?!"

"Hey, t-that's the only possible explanation I can think of", Xanthus was starting to struggle.

Both of them were trying their best to stay standing up to the enormous pressure dawning upon them. At this point, even talking to each other is taking a lot of toll on their souls. When Lu Ying Yun's pride couldn't take the pressure of being pushed down anymore, she shouted.

"I, the Ruler of All that is Light, will not take this kneeling down!", Lu Ying Yun mustered up all of her strength and summoned a million blades of light. But as soon as she did so, she realized that she couldn't control the blades. The millions of blades that she summoned started to point at the two of them.

"W-what are you doing, Lu Ying Yun?!", Xanthus was alarmed at this turn of events.

"It.. it's not me! I can not control them anymore!", Lu Ying Yun started to panic as she tried to control the blades of light the she summoned.

"O-oi, Quick! Retract your powers!"

"GAAAAH!", Lu Ying Yun shouted before she successfully retained control of her blades for a split second, immediately retracting her powers back. The blades of light started grow weaker until there weren't even a wisp of light left.

"That was really close, Lord God. You were almost pushed from the cycle of reincarnation... I swear, even if you are from another world, why are you people from the East always so arrogant and want to be domineering?!", Xanthus scolded Lu Ying Yun.

Although Xanthus doesn't really mind dying as he was already satisfied with his life, dying like a porcupine is not the way he wants to go. It wasn't fitting for the end of The Devil, after all. Or maybe it is?

After awhile, Lu Ying Yun finally gathered her wits again and calmed down.

"I'm sorry... it is just that, I can not take this kind of feeling. It feels like someone is toying with us... like we are nothing but a pair of children.", Lu Ying Yun regretted her actions and sighed. "Anyway, when do you think this pressure is going to stop?"

"I-", before Xanthus can finished what he was going to say. A monotonous voice suddenly spoke.

"Gathering of Souls Complete... Requirement: 2 SSS Souls.. Complete..."

"W..Who are you?! Show yourself!", Even though Lu Ying Yun still can't move properly because of the pressure, she shouted on top of her lungs.

"Oh boy, I don't like the sound of that..", Xanthus frowned as he felt that something dangerous was about to come. His thousand years of instinct that was honed in the battlefield is shaking, telling him to run away.

"Gathering of Souls? 2 SSS Souls? Could that be us?!", Lu Ying Yun was at a lost and couldn't help but analyze what the voice was saying.

"Requirement: 1 SSSSS Soul... Failed.."

"Another one?! Wait, could it be the owner of the eyes earlier?!", Lu Ying Yun has so many questions even though she knew no one was going to answer her questions.

"You may be on to something here, Lu Ying Yun.", Xanthus couldn't help but agree with what Lu Ying Yun said. After all, out of this huge vast core, the only things that have shown themselves so far were him, Lu Ying Yun, and the mysterious owner of the eye.

"Requirement: 1 SSSSS Soul... Failed.."

"Requirement: 1 SSSSS Soul... Failed.."

"Reducing Y velocity of the Gravity to -50f"

Both Lu Ying Yun and Xanthus can't help but scream in pain as they finally lost all the strength in their knees, causing them to kneel down. Right now, they can't even speak.

"Requirement: 1 SSSSS Soul... Complete.."

Finally, the heavy pressure that they felt started to disappear. But before they had the time to catch their breath. The voice started to speak again.

"Starting the Absorption Phase... 0%"

Finding himself being able to speak again, Xanthus shouted. "Lu Ying Yun! Release your power! Release it now!"

But before Lu Ying Yun can even react to what Xanthus said. Both their bodies suddenly sunk onto what seems to be an invisible wall. They felt themselves slowly being sucked in.

"W-what is this?! What Absorption Phase?? Don't tell me!", Lu Ying Yun started to panic.

The reason why Xanthus shouted at Lu Ying Yun and told her to release her powers was because he felt this feeling before. But alas, it was too late.

"Yes. This... this is the same thing I felt when I died...", Xanthus sighed.

"Absorption... 10%"

"What?! No! This can't be happening! I need to live!", Lu Ying Yun continued to struggle, tears almost falling from her face.

"Absorption... 20%"

"NOO! My friend sacrificed himself in order for me to be here!!", Lu Ying Yun was putting all of her strength in order to free herself. But like a quicksand that has claimed a million lives, her efforts were in vain.

"Absorption... 30%"

Unlike Lu Ying Yun, Xanthus held a calm expression. 'So... this is how it really ends for me..huh. Cortana, this is truly... farewell'

"Absorption... 50%"

Xanthus closed his eyes and smiled, readily accepting his fate. He remembered the first time he met with with Cortana. A woman in a full-plated armor, brandishing a blade to her neck. Xanthus couldn't help but chuckle as he remembers their memories together.

"Absorption... 60%"

"NOOOOOOO! I must live! Lerian!", Lu Ying Yun still continued to struggle, her voice almost cracking.

Hearing this, Xanthus was about to say something to Lu Ying Yun... but stopped when he saw Lu Ying Yun's expression.

She was crying... a God that's possibly a millions of years old is crying. Suddenly, Lu Ying Yun's image and Cortana's intertwined and merged in Xanthus' mind. Without hesitation, he reached out his hand.

"LU YING YUN, Quick! Grab my hand!"

They didn't know if there was a merit in doing so, but just like animals driven by instinct, both of them reached out their hands to each other.

"Absorption... 70%"

"GAAAAAAAHHHHH!", "HHHHOOOOOOOO!!!", both of them screamed their lungs out as they tried to pull themselves off.

"Absorption... 80%"

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!", "FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"

"Absorption... 90%"

"LEEERIIIAAANN!!", "COOORTAANNAA!!", Both of them couldn't help but shout their reasons for wanting to live. Yes, Xanthus wanted to live... When he saw Lu Ying Yun's tears, he couldn't help but remember how Cortana cried for him.. even if the whole world wanted him dead, if Cortana wanted him to stay, living was worth it.

"Absorption... 91%"

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!", "HAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Absorption... 92%"

"Absorption... 93%"

"..."

Realizing that no matter what they do, they wouldn't be able to escape anymore, Xanthus sighed and smiled.

"Lu Ying Yun, thank you.", Xanthus closed his eyes.

Lu Ying Yun, who was full of tears, didn't reply. Instead, she just looked at Xanthus and nodded.

"Absorption... 94%"

"If the karma of fate allows it, let us meet again in the next life. Xanthus of Freiden!"

And with that final statement, Lu Ying Yun closed her eyes as well.

"Absorption... 95%"

Lu Ying Yun couldn't help but reminisce on her old memories when she was still in the cultivation world, how she grew stronger and become an immortal, when she met Lerian... and finally, her ascension to Godhood.

"Absorption... 98%"

Both of them were ready to accept their fate. They once again opened their eyes and stared at each other with a warm smile.

"Absorption... 99%"

"Absorption... 99.9%"

And just like that, they were gone.

Two beings that can destroy cities with a snap of a finger, disappeared from existence.

"Absorption... 99.9%"

Suddenly, the dark space distorted. A man came out from the darkness.

If Lu Ying Yun and Xanthus were still here, they would be able to identify who this man was. He was the owner of the eyes that were looking at them earlier.

The man walked towards to where Xanthus and Lu Ying Yun disappeared into. He reached his hands out to the darkness. He buried his hands as if wanting to pull something of the ground. He stayed like this for awhile before finally pulling his hand slowly.

"Absorption... 99%"

In his hand, were another pair of hands locked into each other. These hands undoubtedly belonged to Xanthus and Lu Ying Yun.

"Absorption... 99%"

The man suddenly smiled and revealed a small laugh before saying, "The Karma of Fate allows it".

"Absorption... 99%"

"Absorption... 99%"

".....ERROR : Can't proceed"

"Checking if power is sufficient at 99%"

"...."

"...."

"Check complete. Analysis..."

"99% is within acceptable range.."

"....Passing power parameters to Player... 100%"

"Trying to delete excess souls.. 0/3"

"Trying to delete excess souls.. 0/3"

"Skipping excess soul deletion.."

"...Passing consciousness to Player..."

"10%...40%...80%...97%...97%"

"Can not proceed further because of excess souls."

"..."

"Control alloted to Player : 97%"

"...Begin?"