The boy curled up in a corner of the couch, hugging a pillow almost as big as himself.
On the living room table sat a small cake, bought at the corner store by the kind neighbor next door who had taken pity on him.
Three colorful candles flickered, fighting against the cold air slipping through poorly closed windows.
Today was his birthday.
Nine years old.
An important number, he thought.
But there were no balloons.
No songs.
No mom.
His chest hurt, but he no longer cried.
It had been three years since that day.
Three years since Mom stopped coming home.
Dad was still around, of course.
But he came home so late, so tired, his eyes so empty, that sometimes the boy wondered if his father had left with Mom too, leaving only an empty shell behind.
But he wasn't completely alone.
He still had her.
His older sister.
She was his only company, one of the few people who still seemed to care about him.
Her honey-colored hair, always soft as silk and neatly braided.
Her smile, though rarer now, was warm.
The boy thought there was no one more beautiful in the entire world.
She always smelled of books, lavender soap, and something sweet he could never quite name.
He always ran to hug her when she came home from school.
He always sought her laughter, the gentle pat of her hand on his head, her sweet voice promising that everything would be alright.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that his world hadn't completely fallen apart yet because she was still in it.
...
The front door creaked open.
The boy lifted his head with a bright smile, forgetting the sadness weighing on his chest.
The girl walked in, tossing her backpack onto the couch like she always did.
Her hair was a little messy.
Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying a lot.
Without a word, she crossed the room and hugged him tightly, crushing him against her chest.
The boy felt something strange.
A tremble in his sister's arms.
She stroked his head, her fingers trembling.
"I'm sorry..." She whispered.
The boy blinked, confused.
What was she apologizing for?
Still, he hugged her back.
As tightly as he could.
Hoping that somehow his good feelings would reach her.
...
Finally, the girl pulled away, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
She leaned down and kissed his forehead.
Her hand gently caressed his face, and despite wiping them away, the tears seemed ready to return.
"I'm sorry..." She murmured again, her voice barely a whisper.
Then she went upstairs to her room, closing the door behind her.
The boy stared at the cake.
He carefully cut a slice.
"For her." He thought.
"Today wasn't so bad after all… I still have my sister."
"We're still two."
With light steps, he climbed the stairs.
The tray trembled slightly in his small hands.
He stopped in front of the door.
He knocked gently.
"Sis?"
No response.
He turned the doorknob.
The door was unlocked.
The room smelled of lavender.
The tray fell to the floor.
The slice of cake spilled across the floorboards.
And the boy fell to his knees.
There.
In the center of the room.
Suspended in the air.
Hanging from the ceiling, a rope around her neck.
She was there.
His sister.
The boy screamed.
He screamed until his throat was raw.
Until he had no voice left.
Until his cries became no more than a soundless wail trapped in his chest.
Now he truly was alone.
...
The cake soaked in silent tears.
A small piece of happiness crumbling away, just like the boy's world.
Just like his heart.
******
The air in the Gorge was humid and heavy with salt.
March 7th walked alongside the rest of the group, but she couldn't help glancing at Dan Heng and Aleph out of the corner of her eye.
Both of them looked pretty different.
Dan Heng walked just like always; the only difference was that long hair and, well, the horns... She'd have to ask him later where he got his new clothes — maybe she could score a pretty outfit for her own wardrobe.
As for Aleph...
March 7th let out a quiet giggle remembering what had just happened.
When Dan Heng, alongside Jing Yuan, approached to reunite with everyone, Aleph stared at him seriously for a few seconds.
And when Dan Heng got closer to ask if something was wrong, Aleph said.
"Who are you, ma'am? I'm pretty sure I don't know you."
Dan Heng's face darkened so fast March 7th almost believed someone had thrown a bucket of paint on him.
She had nearly collapsed laughing right then and there.
Even Mr. Yang looked like he was biting his tongue to avoid bursting out laughing!
Not to mention the General, who merely turned his head away — but the shaking of his shoulders made it very obvious he was holding back laughter too.
Aleph, clearly confused, gave them a look as if wondering what the hell they were laughing about.
March 7th pressed her lips together to keep from laughing again.
It didn't matter if he had grown taller or grown horns on his head — that idiot was still the same.
"Yeah... they're definitely still them."
That thought brought her a huge wave of relief, lifting a weight from her chest she hadn't even realized she was carrying.
….....
Soon, the group entered the ruins.
The stones were covered in ancient moss, and roots hung like curtains between the marble arches.
In the center of the main plaza stood a massive statue.
A Vidyadhara with noble, serene features.
Long hair, curved horns like willow branches.
The resemblance was so striking that March 7th let out a soft, "Huh?"
"Dan Heng!" She exclaimed excitedly, pointing. "They made you a statue! You're even more famous than I thought!"
Dan Heng let out a low sigh.
A very, very faint smile curved Jing Yuan's lips beside him.
"That's not me." Dan Heng murmured, a mix of resignation and annoyance in his voice.
Before March 7th could ask anything else, Jing Yuan, who had walked a few steps ahead, glanced at the statue and commented.
"Most of the Grand Masters of the Vidyadhara tend to share certain physical traits — hair, height, presence. The current generation seems to be an exception to that."
He smiled just slightly.
"Perhaps it's the will of the Ancestral Sea... or simply a whimsical twist of fate."
March 7th tilted her head, thoughtful.
"So Dan Heng... could be a Grand Master too?"
Honestly, it didn't seem so far-fetched to her.
Jing Yuan, on the other hand, simply looked at Dan Heng — and without saying a word, raised an eyebrow as if to say.
"You know what you have to do."
March 7th couldn't help but think.
"Aren't they way too close?"
Dan Heng closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
When he opened them again, the orb he was holding began to glow.
A golden light emerged from its core, swirling like yin and yang in perfect harmony.
The water beneath their feet began to stir.
And then...
With a deep rumble, the water parted.
A stone path revealed itself beneath them, leading into a network of ancient, majestic passages.
Columns covered in inscriptions.
Stone walls of black and gold marble.
Broken bridges that once connected suspended temples.
March 7th blinked in amazement.
"Did we just witness... Moses the Lizard?" Aleph murmured.
Mr. Yang's contained laughter finally escaped in a soft chuckle.
March 7th turned, confused.
"What was so funny about what Aleph said?"
"Was that supposed to be a joke?" she asked.
But no one answered her.
She just huffed, puffing out her cheeks — but even so, she couldn't stop marveling at the sight before her.
The place was incredible.
*******
The echo of their footsteps rang softly across the cracked marble.
Aleph looked around with a mix of curiosity and excitement as the group made their way deeper into the heart of the ruins.
The true Scales Gorge.
That's what Jing Yuan had called it.
A place sealed away for generations, where time itself seemed to have stopped.
Aleph could feel the air vibrating against his skin, as if every stone, every drop of water, was charged with a rich energy that his body automatically absorbed.
Ahead of them, at the far end of the vast submerged hall, a figure loomed.
A dragon.
It looked carved from a mix of dark jade and crystal.
Massive.
Majestic.
The roots of the Ambrosia Tree were tangled around it, as if trying to hold it in place.
Jing Yuan came to a stop and pointed.
"There."
His voice echoed between the broken columns.
"That's the main root. Transformed into this form by the ancient Vidyadhara seal."
Everyone fell silent.
The statue, even though inert, radiated an oppressive pressure.
"To reach the core." Jing Yuan continued. "You must break the three seals scattered across the ruins."
Aleph frowned.
Three seals.
Three chances for everything to go horribly wrong.
"Well... nothing new in our line of work."
He muttered to himself, idly twirling his phone in his hand.
He was almost excited.
Some childish part of him was itching to see just how big of a disaster they were about to walk into.
...
Just as the group prepared to split into formations, Jing Yuan raised a hand.
Fu Xuan, who had remained by his side along with several Nimbus Knights, stepped forward.
"Let us go with you." She said.
"No," Jing Yuan replied immediately.
His tone was calm but unyielding.
"Return to the Alchemy Commission."
Fu Xuan frowned.
"But—"
"No buts."
Jing Yuan looked at the knights, each of them.
"This isn't about pride. It's about survival."
He turned to Fu Xuan.
"If we fail here, Xianzhou will need capable people to rebuild. I can't risk you all."
The Grand Diviner clenched her fists, her expression torn between frustration and worry.
But in the end, she nodded.
Not without giving Jing Yuan a look that promised this conversation wasn't over.
Aleph crossed his arms, quietly watching the exchange.
Before the group could move out, Jing Yuan allowed himself a small smile.
"Have faith in our friends from the Astral Express. We'll make it back safely."
There was a teasing glint in his eyes.
"After all..." He turned to Aleph, Stelle, Dan Heng, March 7th, and Welt. "...aren't you all pretty good at wrecking megalomaniac villains' plans?"
March 7th gave a thumbs-up.
"That's our specialty!"
Aleph let out a dry chuckle.
"And to think... we don't even get paid for this."
Welt simply shook his head.
"We're not doing this for credits, Aleph."
...
As they advanced toward the three paths leading to the seals, Aleph couldn't help but glance once more at the colossal figure of the dragon entangled in the roots.
He felt something stir inside him.
Something ancient.
Something that stared back at him.
He closed his eyes for a second.
"This time... I'll finish you."
******
The air grew heavier as they descended.
The corridors of the Gorge seemed ready to collapse at the slightest misstep, and a single mistake would mean a fatal fall.
Among the roots of the Ambrosia Tree, twisted like stone serpents, horrors had taken root.
The Antimatter Legion.
And the Abundance Abominations — deformed, gasping creatures — emerged from the cracks in the ground.
Their bodies were swollen with corrupt life, sprouting multiple mouths, eyes, and limbs twisted at unnatural angles.
"Good…" Aleph murmured, his voice crackling with a wild, almost gleeful energy.
"About time we warmed up a little."
He didn't wait for orders.
With a rough laugh that echoed off the walls, his body was cloaked in a crimson energy.
The horns on his head gleamed with a dim light, his frame expanded, his muscles tightened, and his claws flashed like obsidian blades.
Unlike before, the Oni within Aleph was no longer a rampaging beast.
Without the influence of [The Night of the Living Jesters].
He was now a controlled storm.
At his side, Dan Heng wielded his spear as if it were an extension of his own body.
Every movement was fluid — lethal.
The water dragon danced around him, cloaking him in a second skin of liquid, stretching out its body and limbs to crush anything that dared get close.
Jing Yuan led at the front, his sword wrapped in a golden glow and crackling purple sparks.
Each slash of his blade mowed down groups of enemies as easily as if he were clearing dry brush.
It was a performance where brutality, elegance, and efficiency blended into the tools of master artists.
...
Meanwhile, Welt stayed off to the side, his focus not on the enemies, but on the worn murals adorning the walls.
Runes.
Ancient symbols.
And here and there, faded murals depicting figures with Vidyadhara traits.
While the others carved their path with steel and strength, Welt was tracing patterns with his gaze.
Searching for answers.
"North wall…" He murmured.
"Second arch…"
"…Broken Vidyadhara statue…"
March 7th and Stelle exchanged quick glances, following his directions.
"There!" March 7th shouted, pointing at a crack in the wall.
Stelle nodded and sprinted toward it, summoning her bat and slamming it into the wall with a heavy swing.
A rune lit up.
The first seal broke, its energy dispersing into the air like stardust.
"One down!" March 7th cried, raising her arms in victory.
Aleph, throwing a Legion soldier into the wall like a ragdoll, let out a bark of laughter.
"Only two left!"
They pushed forward.
Every few steps, a new fight broke out.
But nothing Dan Heng, Jing Yuan, and Aleph couldn't handle.
...
The second seal didn't take long to find.
A series of hidden reliefs, revealed by Welt, pointed them toward it — concealed behind a cascade of roots.
Dusty and sweating, Stelle and March 7th managed to break it open while the rest of the group held the enemies at bay.
Only one left.
...
At last, they reached a far wider chamber.
A dome carved deep into the heart of the ruin.
At its center, the seal floated, suspended in a braid of golden and dark roots.
But it wasn't unguarded.
Surrounding it, a circle of monsters waited for them.
And these were different from before.
Bigger.
Much bigger.
Some bore fragments of Vidyadhara armor embedded in their bloated bodies.
Others had partially preserved human faces — as if they had been caught mid-corruption.
March 7th swallowed hard.
"This... looks way worse than before."
Jing Yuan, with a relaxed smile, unsheathed his sword.
"Disappointed? I was hoping for something like this."
The Abominations roared.
Aleph growled back, looking at them like they were trash.
Dan Heng spun his spear.
His water dragon flared like a blue comet.
Welt raised his staff.
Stelle gripped her bat, eyes firm.
March 7th clenched her fists, ready.
.....
The battle erupted like a storm in a sky without warning.
The three deformed monsters charged in unison.
But the group was ready.
Aleph, still in his Oni form, threw himself forward with a savage roar.
He took the first blow head-on — a grotesque punch from a creature whose mass had to be at least three times his own.
But Aleph didn't even flinch.
His body merely tilted back slightly, absorbing the brutal force as if it were nothing more than a strong gust of wind.
And then, smiling, he struck back.
The impact was so devastating that the monster was hurled backward, crashing into the wall with a crack that sounded far too loud to be anything but catastrophic.
"Is that all you've got?! Come at me one by one or all at once, it doesn't matter!" Aleph shouted, chuckling darkly as his claws gleamed.
Meanwhile, Dan Heng advanced with swift, measured steps.
The Water Dragon coiled around him like a living shadow.
With a series of fluid motions, he bombarded one of the monsters with bursts of water pressure, breaking its balance and diverting its attention.
That was all Jing Yuan needed.
With the ease of someone who had seen a thousand battles before, the General charged his sword — a massive knightly figure cloaked in golden light materialized behind him — and cleaved the monster in two with a single slash.
He didn't even pause to watch the body fall.
....
Across the chamber, the third monster — quicker than its brethren — lunged at Welt, March 7th, and Stelle.
Welt summoned several gravitational fields to slow its movements, making it appear clumsy and sluggish.
March 7th fired bursts of ice arrows, freezing its twisted limbs briefly.
Stelle, however, was the most aggressive.
She darted, dodged, and attacked in a lethal dance, her bat glowing white-hot as sparks flew with every strike.
Finally, when the monster made a desperate attempt to retaliate, Stelle channeled all her strength into a brutal swing.
Her bat blazed with a silver radiance as it smashed through the creature's body, pinning it to the ground.
The monster let out one final roar before crumbling into purple dust.
…
Silence fell once the fight was over.
Aleph took a deep breath, his body gradually shedding the crimson glow that had enveloped it.
The Oni transformation dissipated slowly, like mist retreating after a storm.
His shoulders dropped slightly.
"Better to rest now…" He muttered, letting out a low groan as he cracked his neck.
"Or do you all prefer to stumble into the real fight exhausted and make life easier for the enemy?"
Jing Yuan let out an amused huff.
"When you put it like that, it almost sounds like sensible advice... even coming from a lunatic."
"Oi, calling me that just because I once mistook Dan Heng for a woman is... You know what, I'm not even gonna comment."
Dan Heng merely nodded.
"…You're right." He said, albeit grudgingly.
The group regrouped, taking a few minutes to catch their breath.
Meanwhile, Welt hadn't wasted any time.
He used the brief lull to study the last remaining mural.
Finally, he looked up.
"I've deciphered the method to break the final seal."
Everyone turned toward him.
Dan Heng stepped forward, his spear resting on his back.
"I'll clear the way."
No one objected.
And so, the final seal became history.
...
After a few minutes of silent preparation, they began their descent.
Each step brought them closer to the deepest roots of the Ambrosia Tree.
And there, at the very heart of it all, they saw it.
A gigantic root shaped like a dragon, appearing to be carved from a blend of dark jade and crystal.
The roots were wrapped tightly around it.
The final seal.
Dan Heng closed his eyes briefly.
His power resonated in response.
They were ready.
Or at least, as ready as they could ever be.
****
Dan Heng raised his hand, and from it, the golden orb floated upward, shining brightly.
The radiant light cleared the way, shattering the final seal with a dull thud.
A tremor ran through the Scalegorge.
The group pressed forward, crossing the newly opened threshold.
...
A swamp awaited them.
Everything was covered in a layer of mist so thick it looked almost solid.
The ground was a slurry of murky, stagnant water, from which twisted roots emerged like dead serpents.
At the center of that swamp…
A flower.
A colossal dark green bud with golden accents, its height impossible to gauge at a glance.
Its closed petals pulsed rhythmically.
The group halted instinctively.
The smell was a nauseating mixture of life and death.
A sweet, revolting, and suffocating perfume — like rotting flowers over a corpse.
A voice drifted through the air, soft and venomous.
"Now I understand…" Panthylia whispered. "I see why the fools of Sanctus Medicus worshipped the Ambrosial Arbor so fervently. Metamorphosis... resurrection... The power to remake life itself."
A shiver ran down March 7th's spine.
Stelle gripped her bat tightly.
Aleph, on the other hand, stepped forward, his expression hardening.
[Should I initiate the process, Master?]
Burroughs asked.
"Yes."
This time, he would do it properly... and maybe a little less painfully than last time.
...
The flower trembled.
A shudder ran through the structure, and then, with a guttural crack, the bud began to open.
From within, a colossal figure emerged.
A woman.
Her skin was ashen gray, her black hair floated in ragged locks.
She wore a gown made of green and gold petals, swaying like seaweed in the swamp's putrid wind.
A massive golden flower bloomed atop her head like a crown.
Her laughter echoed through the swamp, making the very air vibrate.
"Did you come to stop me?" She asked, her voice dripping with mockery. "How sweet... and how foolish of you. Do you truly believe that the likes of you could make me feel anything beyond a tickle? Is that not the very definition of arrogance and folly?"
Aleph didn't wait for her to finish.
The energy around him erupted into a visible aura.
His body responded to the torrent of life force he continued to absorb.
A club of ice materialized in his hand.
...
Dan Heng struck first.
A barrage of water strikes, sharp as razors.
Jing Yuan attacked from another flank, his sword cleaving through roots like simple grass.
Stelle and March 7th worked together, freezing smaller limbs and then smashing them with a single strike.
Welt summoned fields of gravity, slowing the advance of the corrupt roots.
And Aleph...
Aleph simply moved back and forth, absorbing the brunt of the assaults.
Each blow he endured seemed to make the grin on his face even wider, as if he were genuinely enjoying every second of it.
Strike after strike, charge after charge.
Every time his body withstood a hit, he retaliated with an even more devastating one, his claws crackling with Zionga's electricity.
Whenever he took a scratch, he either shrugged it off or swiftly healed it with a Dia spell cast on himself.
His fierce, joyous laughter rang through every corner.
The battle was brutal.
But the group, though barely, managed to keep pace.
...
Panthylia let out an exaggerated yawn.
"Is this... truly all?" She asked, her tone dripping with disdain.
She raised an arm before they could even blink.
A wave of explosive energy burst forth from her.
Aleph reacted instinctively, throwing himself in front of the blast.
His body groaned under the pressure, his vision blurred for a second.
But he endured.
Pain struck him immediately, but he ignored it with ease.
Relying on his enhanced natural regeneration and applying Dia continuously, Aleph stood firm.
It was moments like these when he truly appreciated being able to use Dia on himself without needing to summon a demon to heal him — not to mention his high Vi, which naturally boosted his regenerative abilities to some extent.
The others barely even felt the force behind the attack.
When the dust settled, Aleph was still standing, gasping for breath — but smiling.
"…Is that all?" He said, throwing her own words back at her.
Panthylia let out a delighted laugh. She enjoyed stubborn prey; breaking them was so much more challenging — and so much more fun.
Three black flowers sprouted from the ground, their stems twisting like snakes.
From their open corollas, deformed figures emerged.
They resembled beings possessed by Mara, while also bearing features of the Antimatter Legion.
Panthylia snapped her fingers.
"Relax… you don't have to try so hard. It's perfectly fine to give up. I brought some cannon fodder for you to play with before you die. I'm kind, aren't I?"
Her light, cruel laughter floated across the battlefield.
A tense atmosphere settled over the group.
...
The ground trembled with every step taken by the newly spawned horrors.
The abominations advanced, carrying fragments of armor and tarnished emblems from the Nimbus Knights and the Antimatter Legion.
March 7th swallowed hard.
"Great... as if one of those things wasn't horrible enough."
Aleph, still standing at the front, let out a low growl as he brushed the dust off his shoulders.
The crimson glow of his Oni transformation still burned fiercely around him.
But then...
With a faint shimmer, Aleph allowed the fusion with Oni to dissipate.
His muscles shrank slightly, his horns vanished.
He returned to his normal form, his breathing stabilizing.
"Time to switch tactics." He muttered.
[Understood.]
A blue glow blossomed where the magic circles had formed.
One by one, his demons materialized.
Oni roared with excitement as he hurled himself at the nearest enemy.
Nappea floated above, immediately casting healing spells on the group while fending off any would-be interrupters with a blast of Zan.
Jack Frost grinned, little ice crystals orbiting around him.
He froze the ground beneath several enemies, sending them slipping and crashing down in a heap.
"Safe travels-ho!" March 7th squealed as she scooped him up into her arms.
"So cute!" Honestly, Aleph couldn't blame her—Jack was undeniably adorable.
Nue, wrapped in a mist of crackling electricity, paralyzed foes and tore others apart with claws and fangs.
Each demon took up a strategic position, like pieces on a warbound chessboard.
"Have fun." Aleph ordered with a fierce grin.
The demons needed no further encouragement.
They hurled themselves at Panthylia's spawn with wild, frenzied abandon, under the stunned gazes of Jing Yuan and Panthylia herself.
Even Jack, still snug in March 7th's arms, fired off blasts of icy magic.
...
While his allies fought, Aleph closed his eyes for a moment.
He knew he would need a greater boost for what was coming—and he had saved something special for just this occasion.
With a simple gesture, he selected his newest demon.
Wendigo.
...
Meanwhile, Panthylia watched the carnage unfold with clear amusement.
She didn't seem worried—if anything, she was curious about these intriguing new creatures storming the battlefield. They seemed like excellent candidates for her Legion.
"Mmm." She mused. But for now...
Her gaze locked onto two figures in particular.
Jing Yuan.
And the brat who had unleashed those fascinating creatures.
Like two beacons in the heart of the storm.
The destruction they wrought was impossible to miss, even amidst the chaos around them.
Jing Yuan, his sword crackling with lightning, commanded the energy of a giant soldier of light, cutting through the abominations like a divine blade.
Aleph, alongside his demons, tore, froze, and burned everything in their path.
Panthylia smiled.
"So you two are the biggest nuisances..."
Her voice rumbled through the air.
She raised a hand.
Black roots burst from the ground, shooting straight at Jing Yuan and Aleph.
The others barely caught sight of them before the trap sprang shut.
"Look out!" Welt shouted.
Both were ensnared in a prison of twisting roots, momentarily separating them from the group.
Dan Heng reacted instantly, slashing at the roots with water-infused strikes.
March 7th fired arrows of ice.
Stelle charged her energy bat, ready to smash through the bindings.
But Panthylia just laughed.
A low, guttural sound.
"This will be your end..." She whispered.
Her energy surged.
The battlefield shifted again.
Darker.
Heavier.
Illuminated only by the massive sphere of energy Panthylia now held above their heads.
But the group didn't retreat.
**********
The air froze the instant Aleph activated the Demonic Mantra.
A torrent of dark, icy energy burst forth from the roots that bound him, spreading to those entangling Jing Yuan and engulfing them in a storm of frost.
The surrounding water froze, as did the roots.
Crack
Two figures emerged from the frozen structures.
A massive shard of ice, courtesy of Bufudyne, slammed into Panthylia's energy sphere, creating a cloud of steam that blinded everyone.
Jing Yuan smiled, waving at the others as if he were a kid just returning from a field trip.
Aleph stepped forward.
His skin had turned pale and sickly, almost ghostly white. His limbs had stretched slightly, sharpening at the ends.
A row of icy spikes protruded from his back, and his breath alone froze the very air.
A pair of reindeer-like antlers crowned his head.
A roar burst from his mouth.
Ravenous.
His lips curled into a slow, chilling smile.
He could feel the energy of the Ambrosia Tree and the Stellaron coursing through the battlefield, like a living network.
His energy absorption skyrocketed.
...…
The Devastator tensed.
Her once amused expression twisted into an irritated grimace.
"Not enough..." She muttered to herself.
Then, Panthylia lunged forward.
With a massive hand, she snatched Jing Yuan out of the air like he was a mere doll.
Dan Heng and March 7th screamed. Welt and Stelle frowned sharply.
But Panthylia paid them no mind.
A laugh rumbled from her throat as her energy began to wrap around the General's body.
"Wouldn't it be ironic...?" She mocked, her voice dripping with sweet venom.
"The beloved General of the Luofu, turned into one of us. Just imagine the terror on their faces! The despair! Ah, what a beautiful spectacle that would be!"
Her golden energy started to seep into Jing Yuan's veins, spreading like an infection.
But Jing Yuan...
Jing Yuan laughed.
A soft, almost careless chuckle.
Panthylia's brow furrowed in confusion.
"What—?"
Then she felt it — a golden knight seized her from behind, the electricity covering his body paralyzing her for a brief moment. It wouldn't last long, but it was enough.
"Now!" Jing Yuan shouted.
That's when Dan Heng struck.
The roar of a water dragon heralded the assault.
A brutal surge of power — a focused torrent — blasted straight into Jing Yuan.
A ferocious blow, landing directly on him.
It was a move to take advantage of the channel Panthylia had opened while trying to corrupt him.
Through that link, Dan Heng, with his mastery of energy, unleashed a devastating countercurrent.
"Wh-What are you doing?!" Panthylia roared, staggering back.
The link became a whip, lashing against her.
Aleph didn't waste the opportunity.
He leapt.
Wreathed in frost and crimson lightning.
He landed squarely on Panthylia's back.
His claws tore into the Devastator's ashen flesh.
The smile on his face grew wider as he felt himself growing stronger.
He stole.
Aleph absorbed.
He wrenched away the life force granted by the Ambrosia Tree and the Stellaron.
The golden flower crowning her head withered in an instant.
Her stone-like dress shattered into fragments.
Panthylia shrieked — a scream of fury at the audacity of the three who had orchestrated her downfall.
Her body crumbled into a whirlwind of silver ashes.
It was over.
The crushing pressure vanished all at once, as if it had never been there.
Silence fell.
Aleph, still in his monstrous form, gently landed on the ground, carrying Jing Yuan in his arms like a princess.
March 7th's eyes went wide.
"A-Aleph?!"
Aleph simply raised an eyebrow, as if he saw nothing odd about his actions.
"What? Was I supposed to let the General faceplant into the ground?"
Stelle buried her face in her hands, exasperated.
Welt simply let out a low chuckle.
Dan Heng, meanwhile, locked eyes with Jing Yuan's dazed gaze.
Aleph's antics had absolutely nothing to do with him.
...…
Jing Yuan, once back on his feet with Dan Heng's help, groaned.
His robes were torn, and exhaustion lined his face, but his eyes remained sharp.
Aleph, back to his normal form, offered him a hand.
"Hey, want me to heal you? I'm actually pretty good at it, you know."
Jing Yuan shook his head, smiling.
"No need. I'd rather let nature take its course and heal on my own."
Aleph eyed him doubtfully for a moment, then shrugged. It was his decision, after all.
...…
An ethereal laugh echoed through the air.
From the heap of ashes, a sphere of light emerged, floating ominously.
"Pathetic." Came a voice filled with disdain.
"Do you really think this is over? That this victory is something to be proud of?"
The sphere pulsed with hate.
"All you destroyed was a mere shell — a temporary body formed from the Ambrosia Tree. You never truly touched me."
March 7th scowled.
"What?!"
Stelle stepped forward, gripping her bat, but Jing Yuan stopped her with a shake of his head. Begrudgingly, she stayed put, pouting all the while.
Panthylia laughed darkly.
"We will meet again, insects."
Jing Yuan, still a bit unsteady, took a few steps forward.
And with a hand cloaked in violet lightning, he wiped the sphere from existence.
The light flickered out like a candle in the wind.
"No matter how many times you return." The General said, his voice as firm as steel. "You'll always find a sword waiting for you in the Luofu."
He turned to the Astral Express crew with a warm smile.
"And if the situation calls for it, I trust our dear friends will be ready to lend a hand. Right?"
Everyone, except Dan Heng, returned the smile and nodded.
The sound of dying roots was almost like a whisper.
A dull crunch that spread throughout the Scaled Gorge.
Aleph was crouched over a withered root, shamelessly absorbing what little life energy remained in it.
His eyes gleamed with a simple, almost childlike satisfaction, like a kid munching on candy.
Anyone looking at him would have thought he had just stumbled upon buried treasure.
Dan Heng, standing beside him, crossed his arms and sighed.
"Do you really need to absorb everything you see?"
Aleph gave him a puzzled look, as if he couldn't understand where the question was even coming from.
"What? It's not like they're going to use it for anything else now."
March 7th watched the scene in silence, almost expecting Aleph to pull out a straw and start slurping energy straight from the ground.
And honestly, she wouldn't even be surprised if he did.
Stelle wasn't too far from them, arms crossed and wearing a rather annoyed expression — she had tried doing the same thing as Aleph earlier, but it hadn't worked for her.
Meanwhile, Jing Yuan stayed a few steps behind, casually leaning against a broken pillar.
His eyes were fixed on Aleph.
"Is this what you meant, Fu Xuan?"
The General thought to himself, recalling the conversation they had before all this madness started.
Fu Xuan had insisted he keep a close eye on Aleph.
"Don't underestimate him." She had said.
"He's either a disaster waiting to happen… or an unexpected blessing. It'll all depend on the bond he forges with his companions."
Back then, Jing Yuan hadn't given those words much weight.
But now...
After seeing Aleph crush the spawn of Abundance, endure the energy of the Ambrosia Tree, and play a key role in the defeat of Panthylia...
"And now it seems he's carrying two Stellarons inside him…"
Yeah.
He was definitely reconsidering a few things.
Fu Xuan would probably be wearing a smug little smile if she were here right now.
"What am I supposed to do with you, you troublesome kid?"
He mused, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
...
Finally, letting the silence speak for everyone, they began making their way back to the surface.
The withered roots crunched under their feet, unraveling the path behind them like a curtain being drawn back.
Behind them, the sea rose once more, sealing the ruins of the Scaled Gorge beneath the waters of the Luofu.
...…
When they emerged at the surface, the soft light of sunset greeted them.
Fu Xuan was waiting for them, alongside Yanqing and several Nimbus Knights.
Their faces, tight with worry, visibly softened the moment they saw the group appear.
Especially when they spotted Jing Yuan — still injured, but walking on his own two feet.
Yanqing immediately stepped forward.
"General!" He exclaimed, almost knocking over Aleph, who was walking nearby. "Are you all right?!"
Jing Yuan gave him a faint smile as he placed a hand on the boy's head.
"I'm alive." He said simply.
Fu Xuan let out a sigh, though her face didn't show any obvious relief.
"I told you not to do anything reckless." She muttered.
Jing Yuan tilted his head innocently, pointing to himself.
"Who, me? Never."
Aleph, watching from the sidelines while nibbling on a root he had saved earlier (it actually tasted pretty good), suddenly froze.
"You're not working until you've fully recovered, understood? I'll handle everything in the meantime."
Jing Yuan's face lit up brighter than the sunset behind him.
His eyes widened.
A realization hit him like a freight train.
"Wait a second...!"
The General had refused to be healed properly...
Just so he could exploit the situation!
Now he was surrounded by worried subordinates who would gladly cover his work while he enjoyed a forced recovery vacation!
Aleph almost screamed out loud in shock.
That guy…
Was way more cunning than he looked.
Aleph narrowed his eyes, sizing him up in a whole new light.
"He's a damn genius!"
For the first time in a long while, Aleph felt genuine respect for someone outside the Astral Express.
***************
Aleph's updated stats after everything:
[Aleph Avesta]
[Level: 52]
[St: 131]
[Ma: 121]
[Vi: 195]
[Ag: 119]
[Lu: 11]
I decided to stockpile a few chapters and post these three together.
Not a bad idea, right?