Chapter 41

This time, Serpentine and Demon Nashia were clashing. As I was focusing on healing myself, using this new mana to close the wounds, I was also observing how this new mana works. I've read a ton of history books regarding mana. But I have never heard of Dark and Holy Mana mixing together to create a new type of magic that no one has ever seen before.

There was no trace of either Dark or Holy mana. Instead, this gray looking dull magic moved as one. However, as I inspected the mana closely, I noticed something strange about it.

First, Dark and Holy mana are not opposite, but rather, they are similar but have different roles. Think of them as this: Holy Magic is like life. Using it gives life to everything. Dark Magic is the same, but instead of giving them life, they revive it and control their lives. While a Demonic Magic destroys life, Holy and Dark Magic gives life but the two have their own method.

So when Holy and Dark Magic combined together, as the two same yet different forces tried to combine, their methods were clashing against each other, denying each other's teaching. However, that's when the Spirit of Light and Strength came.

The Spirit of Life and Strength is a powerful spirit that gives life to everything as well as strength. Holy Magic gives complete life; Dark Magic reanimates; while Spirit of Life and Strength makes them strong. Together with the three powers, they were able to synchronize and combine as one.

That's also the reason why I could feel every living being around me. Because if you have the power to give and control life…

You have the power to change someone's fate.

The destroyed tower didn't stop shaking. From the distance, I could see the Four Spirit Kings causing havoc between the realms. They never stopped unleashing powerful magic attacks while using their fangs to bite and kill the demons that tried to get closer to them.

If the Spirit of Life and Strength gives life as well, then how come the Four Spirit Kings could destroy lives? As I asked that question to myself, a revelation suddenly came to my mind. They weren't killing anyone. Rather, they were overwhelming them by giving them many life forces that the bodies of the enemies could not handle a huge amount of life force.

Think of it like this: pour water into a cup and if you don't stop pouring water into it, the excess will overflow and go out of the cup. Water is like life while the cup is the body. Giving too much life to the body will cause it to overflow until the vessel could no longer keep a huge amount of water, causing it to be destroyed.

Clever way of taking someone's life.

Meanwhile, Serpentine and Demon Nashia were still clashing, their magic and weapons making impact on one another nonstop. Both of their attacks never missed yet they never reached their target.

As I watched Serpentine in her human form, I noticed how beautiful she looked and how pretty her eyes were. But despite the beauty behind her appearance and her eyes, there was a pure murderous intent behind them. Every move she made was beautiful, yet strong and sharp like a knife. I have millions of questions to ask her, especially when she gained a human body. However, as much as I wanted answers right away, those could wait after the battle.

Demon Nashia did a wide uppercut, causing Serpentine to make only a small movement by side stepping from the attack. But, my eyes went wide as the attack kept going my way.

Shit! I tried to dodge, but my whole body was still in shock and pain. It was too late, but I put up a shield to at least minimize the damage. The magic claw attack struck me, leaving a five deep cut to my torso. Blood squirted on the open wounds. I tried to close them by moving the mana to the wound, yet because they were too big, spreading my mana out would not do anything at all.

My vision became blurry. My head was spinning faster than my brain could process. I heard shouts and laughter around me, but the world was slowly becoming dark.

Is this it?

Is this how it ends?

Damn… In the end, I…

The world around me became bright once more. In front of me, Serpentine was kneeling. Despite the claw piercing from her back to her chest and the blood coming out from her wounds, she didn't care about them and focused on healing me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to stop her from whatever she was planning to do. I could sense her life force and mana slowly draining away as seconds went by. "Stop, Serpentine!"

Serpentine smiled warmly. "It's not over yet." Despite Demon Nashia relentlessly attacking her back, Serpentine kept calm and focused on healing me. "It's been a nice journey, Ashe. Too bad I wasn't able to see the end of it. But I believe in you, my best friend."

Her life force faded.

All her mana flowed inside of me, closing the wounds and recovering my strength to its peak. As those events were happening, her body had faded.

I lost someone again…

Demon Nashia laughed and lunged at me with her claws ready to be swung. "Don't worry, little girl. I'll take you to where she is now!"

I roared in anger. A pillar of gray light emerged from above, causing a powerful force that pushed Demon Nashia away from me. The whole tower slowly broke down into pieces, making a float between the realms instead. I could hear the Four Spirit Kings howling loudly, shaking the entire space with their fury.

In one day. I have gone into two Renewals. The process was smooth this time because I was either used to it already, or I was too powerful to feel pain.

The pillar of gray light disappeared and a black smoke covered my whole body from Demon Nashia. The smoke dissipated, revealing a new transformation of myself.

A black and purple armor covered my whole body from head to toe. However, my face was still visible in the open. A set of black wings with purple color on their edges flapped widely behind me and my hands and toes were similar to Demon Nashia. The only difference is that they were glowing in purple, not red.

Demon Nashia laughed after seeing my transformation. "So what? You think you can defeat me because you just dressed like me?"

I glared at her while I released a powerful killing intent towards her. A killing intent that was only directed at her and no one else.

"We'll see about that."