Chapter: Chapter 316
Clang, clang, whoosh, boom!
In the not-so-spacious palace, within the dueling arena demarcated by a colorful barrier, two girls, one black-haired and one white-haired, were in a chase.
The white-haired girl, sword in hand, stared with icy eyes at the black-haired girl constantly fleeing ahead. Every spell the latter threw backward was shattered by her sword, and every sword energy she unleashed left a shallow wound on the girl in front.
The battle had been one-sided from the start. In front of the white-haired girl, Leticia didn’t even possess the courage to fight back.
“Damn it, if this drags on, I’ll really lose,” Leticia gritted her teeth. She wanted to turn and fight the girl, but the fear in her heart prevented her from doing so.
Yes, as the Demon Lord, the king of demons, the most powerful magician, Leticia was afraid.
She was trembling, trembling from fear.
“How embarrassing, being chased and beaten like a stray dog.” While fleeing, Leticia mocked her own weakness in her mind.
Even though she was undoubtedly strong now, her heart was weaker than that of an ordinary person. A past failure had not killed her, but it had killed her spirit.
Leticia could summon the courage to fight other enemies, but when her opponent became this white-haired girl, she utterly lacked the courage to fight.
“Sister, go for it!” Kira propped her hands on the colorful barrier, her eyes filled with anxiety. She could see that her sister was completely at a disadvantage. If this continued, in just a few more moves, her sister would truly be defeated and killed.
But how could such a situation be turned around with just a cheer? Leticia was not the kind of protagonist who could have a sudden power-up. She was a villain who had been thoroughly defeated by the protagonist once.
Whoosh! A faint starlight flashed, and Leticia felt a burning pain on her back. She had been hit again.
This time, being hit made her lose the ability to create distance. The white-haired girl appeared behind Leticia the next moment, raised her long sword again, and thrust it towards Leticia’s heart.
Leticia desperately twisted her body, managing to shift slightly before the blade pierced a vital point.
But the cost was her left arm being cleanly pierced through.
Pain, an excruciating pain. Despite being a dream, Leticia felt an incredibly real pain, something that had never happened before.
If she were to die here, her real self might also die, Leticia thought.
She was certain that the appearance of this white-haired girl was no accident. This person’s presence here was arranged by that god.
With a blank expression, the white-haired girl pulled the sword from Leticia’s arm. She looked at the癱坐在地上的 Leticia and suddenly revealed a mocking smile.
“Actually, you were the easiest to deal with, weren’t you?” That was the voice of the god.
“You bastard…” Leticia clutched her now numb left hand, biting her lip tightly.
The god’s consciousness was not present. This was merely a recorded message, and the god’s purpose in leaving this message was to mock Leticia, to mock this annoying girl.
“You will never overcome that hurdle in your heart. I only need to make a small adjustment, and you will defeat yourself. How ironic, that such a powerful mortal harbors such a despicable coward within their heart.” The god’s words continued. She not only wanted to kill Leticia’s body but also crush her spirit.
“What’s the use of all your cleverness? This white existence guarantees you cannot stop me, because you cannot even get past your own internal struggle.”
“Hahahaha, what a pity. You won’t live to see the moment I gain my freedom. Don’t worry, you won’t be lonely on your way to hell. I will send many people down to accompany you.”
Finally, the god’s voice stopped. The white-haired girl, as if paused, moved again. This time, her sword was not dodged.
…
“Oh, it seems that detestable bastard still couldn’t conquer herself,” the god sneered, sensing the fluctuations from the dream. It was worth all the effort she put into setting up this trap.
When she interacted with Leticia last night, she hadn’t just stood by. Why did she force Leticia to stay in that place?
It was to prepare this surprise for Leticia today.
By slightly altering the white-haired girl’s settings, Leticia would naturally lose her threat. The fastest way to defeat someone was to defeat them from within.
Leticia possessed such a fatal weakness in her heart. With just a gentle push, the skyscraper built on that dilapidated foundation would topple with a resounding crash.
This was the power of the God of Dreams. If she wanted to kill someone, she didn’t necessarily have to do it herself. Inciting the inner demons of an enemy was also an efficient method of killing, wasn’t it?
“If that guy is dead, no one can stop me. Hahahaha, freedom, I can finally gain my freedom!”
…
What did death feel like? Leticia had never known before, but now she did.
Her body gradually grew cold, her strength gradually disappeared from her limbs. She couldn’t control her body and could only silently wait for her vision to be completely consumed by darkness.
This time, no one could save her.
Everyone was separated by the colorful barrier; she couldn’t expect a miracle.
It was over?
It was over.
She had failed, defeated by the god, and also by herself.
From the beginning, she had understood that the white-haired girl was her inner demon, the beast that had been hidden deep within her heart since she was defeated by Bai Ling.
In the past, she had avoided the influence of her inner demon by escaping, but running away solved nothing. While she was escaping reality, wasn’t she also strengthening her inner demon?
Perhaps at the beginning, her inner demon wasn’t powerful, but after so many years of silent development, coupled with a little modification from the god, her inner demon completed its final evolution, successfully piercing the sword that should have pierced Leticia’s chest into the position it was meant to.
The white-haired sword saint had completed her previously unfinished task in another way.
In the end, she still slew the Demon Lord.
But at this moment, slaying the Demon Lord would bring an even more terrifying existence into the world.
“Kira… Bai Ling…”
As her consciousness gradually sank into darkness, scenes flashed before Leticia’s eyes. She saw the people she cared about being defeated by the god, she saw the entire world plunging into darkness under the god’s oppressive power.
What would be the consequences if a true god gained freedom?
Undoubtedly, the entire world would become that god’s paradise. People in the world would become animals raised by the god, their only use being to provide energy to the god.
And all of this was because Leticia couldn’t defeat her inner demon. It was precisely because of her weakness that these things happened.
Everything was about to end. She had let down her sister, let down Bai Ling, let down those who trusted her. She was a complete coward.
“Are you really planning to just die like this?” In her daze, Leticia heard her own voice.
That voice seemed very far away, yet it also seemed very close to her ear.
“Open your eyes. How long do you want to keep escaping from reality!” The voice suddenly became stern. “It’s not time to give up yet!”
“It’s not time to give up yet?” Leticia struggled to open her eyes. She saw a black-haired girl, wearing a gorgeous black long dress, with flames burning in her pupils.
Who was that?
Was it me?
The girl in the black dress clenched her fist, looking at Leticia with disappointment, “I ask you, are you still afraid?”
Afraid? Of course, she was afraid. Recalling the sword light that could tear apart the heavens and earth from that day, how could Leticia not be afraid?
“Think of Kira, think of Bai Ya, think of Bai Ling, and then think of those who trust you. Answer me, are you still afraid?” the girl in the black dress pressed.
Leticia fell silent. She had so many people to protect; her shoulders bore so many responsibilities. She shouldn’t be afraid.
But she was still afraid.
“Get rid of that weak expression of yours!”
A burning sensation on her face, Leticia was punched hard by the girl in the black dress.
Leticia, covering her face, couldn’t quite react. Why was she hit? Did she not warn her before hitting her?
“Think again. The gap between her and you in that battle, was it really as large as you imagined? Did you truly have no ability to fight back?” The girl in the black dress rubbed her fist and asked coldly, “Was she really that at ease, and were you really that vulnerable?”
“Or perhaps, you’ve forgotten the process of that battle, and you want me to replay it for you?”
The girl snapped her fingers, and a large silver screen suddenly appeared in the void. It displayed the attack Leticia had suffered years ago.
The white-haired girl launched a surprise attack when Leticia wasn’t vigilant, but this surprise attack was blocked by Leticia.
Yes, Bai Ling’s surprise attack was blocked by Leticia.
Their battle lasted for a long time. While the final outcome was Leticia escaping heavily injured, Bai Ling was not in much better condition.
The fact that she didn’t pursue the injured Leticia explained some things.
“Now, tell me again, do you have the strength to fight back?”
“I… I do.” Leticia lowered her head and looked at her hands. She had caused trouble for Bai Ling; she hadn’t been beaten one-sidedly.
“Then why are you afraid of her? Is she invincible? Can’t you hurt her?” the girl in the black dress pressed. “If she hadn’t gained the initiative through a sneak attack that time, would you have been confident of winning that battle?”
Leticia remained silent for longer this time. Finally, she raised her head, her eyes gradually becoming resolute, “I can defeat her!”
“So, are you still afraid? After knowing the truth of that battle, are you still afraid?”
“I’m not afraid anymore. I’m not necessarily weaker than her.”
“No, you are stronger than her. You are the strongest existence in this world,” the girl in the black dress shook her head. She placed her hand on Leticia’s shoulder, her eyes staring intently at Leticia, “She’s a worthless piece of trash with no abilities other than attacking. You are the most well-rounded, the strongest.”
“I am the strongest…” Leticia softly repeated the black-haired girl’s words, then shook her head again. “No, I think I might not be able to overpower her.”
“Tsk, you are improving, and she is also improving. The current you might not be able to overpower the current her, but the current you is far beyond the former her, isn’t that right?” The girl in the black dress felt that Leticia’s focus was slightly off, but it wasn’t time to dwell on such things. “Come on, unleash your true strength, let those people see, let yourself see, that so-called Sword Saint is just a slightly stronger opponent in front of you. In the past, didn’t you defeat many opponents that people thought you couldn’t possibly defeat?”
“But I’ve already lost, and I’m about to die.”
“If you don’t want to die, you won’t die.” The girl in the black dress pressed her forehead against Leticia’s. “Let the Demon Lord reappear in this world. That weak Leticia must disappear, for the sake of those we love.”
“For… for the sake of those we love… I understand.”
Leticia opened her arms and hugged herself tightly. For victory, for those she loved, she couldn’t die here!
It’s just a past psychological shadow, let her break through and show it to those who looked down on her!
If that Bai surname knew she was so afraid of her in her heart, she would definitely laugh herself to death!
Ha, thinking about it this way, the Bai surname isn’t that scary after all. She cries and laughs, and her brain isn’t working well. She doesn’t need to be afraid of her at all.
“That’s more like it. Welcome back, Leticia Infino.” The body of the girl in the black dress gradually became illusory, and she slowly merged into Leticia’s body.
As the girl in the black dress merged, Leticia’s expression gradually calmed down. The eyes of the Demon Lord reappeared in her eyes, but this time the Demon Lord was not for destruction and conquest, but to protect this world, to protect the people she cherished.
A power far stronger than before flowed through Leticia’s body. Leticia had a feeling that she could now defeat that person and avenge her humiliation.
Thinking thus, Leticia clenched her fists and threw a punch at the emptiness before her.
Accompanied by a crisp shattering sound, light appeared in Leticia’s eyes. She had crawled back from hell.
“Perhaps, the gap between us really isn’t that large, is it?” Looking at the surprised white-haired girl, Leticia smiled, a smile full of confidence.
Calming down and looking, this white-haired girl wasn’t that strong either, was she?
