Chapter 1147: 1147. Defying

The crack in the void continued to heal while the titan kept King Elbas trapped on the other side of the liquid blackness. Tongues of golden flames came out of it from time to time, but the divine item held strong.

Chasing Demon's skin began to turn gray again. It seemed that the effort was reverting the effects of the raw laws, but he didn't dare to diminish his output of energy.

He had understood that Noah's technique had limits and that King Elbas had already begun to overcome them. There wouldn't be another chance to defeat him if he failed to keep the Royal in the other dimension.

The dark-red surface of the titan began to burn under the effects of King Elbas' flames. The golden fire moved in an orderly manner and according to precise lines to unleash a strange aura that appeared to be quite effective against the divine item.

King Elbas had understood how the titan worked by then. Its structure was still mostly a secret, but he had learnt enough to target its innate flaws.

The experts gasped at that sight. King Elbas was in an unknown environment and inside a divine item's grasp, but he still managed to attack at full power.

Their eyes went on the expanding void. They wished that they could do something to quicken the fixing of the crack, but they could only wait and hope that Chasing Demon would hold strong.

The crack was inside Noah's dark world, but he didn't have any power over the other side. Even the titan had to struggle to pierce the liquid blackness. His strength alone wasn't enough to affect the situation.

Silence spread among the group. The experts could only hold their breath as the golden flames began to cover the titan's arm. The fire even reached the giant's shoulder as it continued to unleash its destructive properties.

Noah tried his best to suppress the golden flames, but they were too dense for his dark world. His will couldn't apply any restriction on them when they were so dense.

Even with his recent breakthrough, Noah remained a gaseous stage powerhouse. He couldn't surpass King Elbas when it came to raw power.

Chasing Demon couldn't move. His whole focus was on pouring the entirety of his cultivation level on the titan to fuel its incredible strength. Part of it also went on keeping its structure intact, so he couldn't break his concentration for even a second.

The flames eventually reached him before continuing to spread on the rest of the titan. Chasing Demon burned, but his concentration didn't waver.

His eyes remained on the shrinking crack. His mind had cut away any other input and made him focus only on his task. His organization and friends' future was at stake, so he didn't care if his body crumbled in the process.

Flying Demon's aura surged at that sight. Flowers grew from his figure as his mental waves became violent and messy. His eyes remained fixed on Chasing Demon. He wanted to memorize that moment without interfering with his Patriarch's heroic sacrifice.

Dreaming Demon was in a similar condition. She wore an ugly expression as she clasped her hand around Flying Demon's arm.

Her gesture didn't aim to hold her lover's back. Her fingers stabbed in his skin as she did her best to restrain herself.

The two Demons suffered the most intense emotional blow, but Elder Julia and Noah weren't too better off.

Elder Julia had known Chasing Demon since the Coral Archipelago. The Hive had yet to be born at that time, and there were only separate sects ruling the underground world in the islands.

She had seen the rise of the Hive under Chasing Demon's leadership. They had started from a small and isolated area in the sea, but now they belonged to one of the world's greatest organizations.

Noah still recalled the few conversations that he had with Chasing Demon. The Patriarch had never complained about his behavior. It didn't matter how many forces he offended. Chasing Demon would always deploy the assets of the Hive to back Noah up.

Chasing Demon had never tried to suppress Noah. Instead, he had done his best to push him further on the cultivation journey. The Patriarch had even provided Noah with pieces of information that only powerhouses could know only to help him in his path.

Noah had always known that he lacked something. He could never sacrifice himself for the sake of his organization. However, he couldn't help but feel pure respect toward Chasing Demon's action.

The Patriarch had lost the love of his life after Ravaging Demon's betrayal, but he had continued to train to exact his vengeance. His efforts to benefit the Hive didn't stop after he killed his mortal enemy.

Chasing Demon had devoted his entire existence to spreading his Master's teachings, and the Hive now was an organization full of entities who were proud of the label "Demon".

Divine Demon might have preferred him to abandon everything and focus on his path, but Chasing Demon was different.

Noah had felt something during his long period of training. The Patriarch had reached his limits. His potential and will didn't allow him to advance further.

The thought that someone with such a grim future could still focus everything on his organization made him respect Chasing Demon even more. He was a true leader, and the Hive wouldn't be the same without him.

"Tisha," Chasing Demon suddenly said while his figure burned. His words echoed through the dark matter, and Dreaming Demon's attention focused on him.

"You have always had more foresight than any of us," Chasing Demon continued. "I know that you will do your best to build a future for the Hive."

Dreaming Demon couldn't muster the strength to answer him, but she performed a deep bow before focusing on his figure again. She wouldn't dare to miss his death.

"Arthur," Chasing Demon spoke again, and Flying Demon's aura became peaceful as he focused on his words. "You've suffered more than any of us, but you didn't let your pain destroy your future. I leave Master's inscriptions and the defenses of the Hive to you. Be sure to discipline that stubborn automaton."

A tear ran down Flying Demon's left eye before performing a deep bow and resumed to watch his old friend.

"Julia," Chasing Demon continued, "You have handled every political matter while I spent my time cultivating. I can't think of anyone else who could manage the Hive better than you."

Elder Julia nodded before bowing. Chasing Demon had basically named her the new leader of the Hive, preferring her to his old friends. She couldn't feel more honored.

The golden flames covered the whole titan and threatened to burn the dark world. Yet, they remained on the divine item as they focused all their power on it.

The crack had almost closed by then. Chasing Demon only needed to hold on for a bit more to defeat King Elbas once and for all. Still, his goodbyes weren't over yet.

"Noah Balvan," Chasing Demon said as his figure crumbled and the giant started to speak with his voice, "Demon Prince of the Hive, Divine Demon's heir."

Noah's attention spiked as Chasing Demon listed his titles, and his eyes remained fixed on the giant as it continued to speak with the Patriarch's voice.

"You have defeated opponents far stronger than you since you were only a human cultivator," The giant said as its arm broke and it used its body to block the opening in the void. "You have surpassed every expectation, and your potential knows no limits. You are the best cultivator that the world has ever seen, and your power doesn't follow any common sense or label."

The giant began to crumble, and only ashes came out of the golden flames. Nevertheless, Chasing Demon's voice continued to echo through the dark world. "I know you don't want to be a leader, but you still deserve a title worthy of your achievements. From now on, you will be Defying Demon. May the Immortal Lands tremble when they hear your name."