The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 382: Reaper’s Scythe

Within the green orb, Fresh Snow looked up while extending her forcefield. A strange green energy with quickly-flickering gray spots emerged from her green eyes, morphing into a tall grim reaper in spirit form.

It looked like a woman, and the black hood of the cloak obscured half of her face, revealing only silver long hair and a pale chin, as well as red lips that looked frosty despite the blood covering them.

At the same time, a red energy containing the same flickering gray spots emerged from Fresh Snow’s red eyes. It turned into a scythe with a long snath, the blade crimson and sharp.

Fresh Snow slowly looked down at Lilia, who was below her feet. When she raised her right hand, the giant grim reaper behind her, tethered, raised the scythe in her hands as well.

There was no defending against the scythe given it was in spirit form. It didn’t damage the body, but reap the soul.

Just when Fresh Snow commanded the grim reaper to raise her scythe, though, elemental wings grew anew behind Lilia’s back, bigger than ever before.

...

Thirty seconds ago, Lilia had been pinned to the bottom of the crater by Spring’s overwhelming power, the elemental armor on her cracking.

She didn’t know how long Spring’s Heavenly Might would last, but she knew her own elemental armor was close to its breaking point, and once that happened, it would be impossible for her physical body to endure the terrifying pressure.

During the next few seconds, Lilia conversed with Epilogue.

I’m going to lose.

No, I’ll sacrifice myself.

Think it through. I’m a human.

We’ve long become one. Even if I disappear, you’re no longer human.

Alright.

Kill all humans and turn in the answer sheet for me. From then on, you’ll decide your own path.

I’ll do my best.

O Almighty Creator, take my flesh and blood, my soul and fate. Please grant me power, so I may finish the mission entrusted to me.

Pride Sacrifice.

Three hundred percent. Death begot life. Blood and soul came together!

Thick blood gushed out from Lilia’s blue and red eyes nonstop, undeterred by the gravity enhanced by thousands of times.

A few seconds later, only hollow eye sockets were left, while a deep purple vertical eye appeared on Lilia’s forehead, between her eyebrows.

The elemental armor around Lilia’s body regenerated anew, and beautiful, fully-grown scales covered Lilia from head to toes.

Even more elemental power overflowed from Lilia’s limbs and spread, quickly covering the entire crater to turn it into an elemental circle, igniting a blinding light.

A pair of wings regrew out of her back, larger than before. With the wings’ support, Lilia picked herself back up.

Spring, White Dew, Gao Yang, and Fresh Snow both looked flabbergasted and confused. Under Fresh Snow’s control, the Reaper’s Scythe was already swinging toward Lilia.

But it wasn’t quick enough.

Boom!

Large elemental pillar of seven colors shot out of the crater like a volcano erupting, instantly devouring Fresh Snow.

“Fresh Snow!”

Gao Yang and White Dew cried out at the same time.

Spring, who was right above the crater, was within its range as well, almost swept away by the beam of elements shooting toward heaven.

For a moment, the beam illuminated the entire Li City like the Tower of Babel casting light upon the whole world; even the great blood moon in the sky paled in comparison.

Ten seconds later, the beam disappeared.

Gao Yang and White Dew stared, rooted to the spot. They didn’t even have the time to mourn when a figure flashed to them like a ray of light.

It was Waking Insects. He was holding an unconscious Spring in one arm, and Fresh Snow in the other.

Half of his face and his whole body had been—in a manner of speaking—burned by the elemental beam, turning the skin into a strange bluish purple. Some parts of the skin had fallen off, and the flesh had melted, revealing the bones underneath, which were embedded with colorful particles that seemed to be elemental power in crystal form.

“Hmph...”

Waking Insects was the fastest among all known living creatures with a maximum speed of over seven hundred meters a second, double the speed of sound.

At the last moment, Waking Insects had rushed into the elemental pillar and rescued Fresh Snow and Spring in a second, taking the brunt of the attack for them.

He dropped to his knees, blacking out.

“Gao Yang.” White Dew couldn’t afford to dwell on their naturally opposing natures. With a determined gaze, she said, “Take them. I’ll keep the monster occupied.”

Gao Yang didn’t think it was a good idea.

Run? Where would he run to?

Free of the restraint of the Heavenly Way, Llia could kill all awakeners and humans as she wished.

But there was still hope.

X’s Poison of Hell had been stopped short. The powerful ones like Dragon, Qilin, Azure Dragon, and War Tiger would surely wake up sooner than regular awakeners. Once they regained consciousness, they had a winning chance.

“You go.” Gao Yang took a step forward. “I’ll keep her busy.”

“You?” White Dew sounded both surprised and derisive.

“She has the Element Rune Circuit. Your power isn’t going to work on her,” Gao Yang analyzed calmly. “In terms of speed, you aren’t even my match. Who do you think will be able to occupy her better?”

White Dew’s expression darkened. She didn’t have a counterargument for that.

“Go. Don’t drag me down,” Gao Yang snapped.

White Dew didn’t hesitate. “Be careful.”

She summoned water elements to carry Fresh Snow, Spring, and Waking Insects and quickly left.

When Gao Yang looked up, Lilia had already gotten out of the crater and was flying toward Gao Yang and White Dew. She reached out to White Dew’s fleeing figure.

Someone suddenly showed up and blocked her view. Gao Yang had jumped up and teleported to Lilia, stabbing at her chest with the dagger he carried with him since Fire wouldn’t work at all.

However, the dagger instantly dissolved into metal particles. Gao Yang quickly pulled back with a start and teleported away from Lilia. Still, the few seconds he bought had allowed White Dew to put some distance between them. Mission accomplished.

Now, he just had to keep Lilia busy with Teleportation...

Pain shot through his legs, taking him by surprise. At some point, a layer of hard red crystals had encased them.

Gao Yang was shocked. The moment he attempted a melee attack, Lilia had activated two different elemental powers, dissolving his dagger while quietly freezing his legs.

Such was the power of Elemental Angel. It allowed her to manipulate elements however she wished.

The Rune Circuit was terrifyingly powerful!

Level 8 Talents did exist, it turned out, but it wasn’t a level one could reach on their own, but made possible by incorporating the corresponding Rune Circuit into one’s body temporarily to create the Talent’s most powerful form.

All those thoughts flashed through Gao Yang’s head almost instantaneously.

He hadn’t stopped moving. Shooting flames from his hands, he melted the crystals to free himself at the price of inflicting mild burns on his legs.

A second later, dozens of slithering red rays poured down from the sky like fireworks.

Boom, boom, boom!