Chapter: 64. Secondary Infection and Awakening (26/46)
A miracle truly seemed to have arrived.
Professor Amachi stared blankly at that figure, a nearly unbelievable sense of relief swelling in his heart.
He could not fathom what kind of abilities the young man named “Sakurako Renji” possessed, but judging by his strike that instantly defeated the X-level ability user, he had power comparable to an X-level ability user, at least at the same level.
Even just standing there, looking at the remaining two X-level ability users, was enough to instill fear in them, making them hesitant to act recklessly.
This made Professor Amachi think to himself—perhaps his life would not be taken by an X-level ability user today.
But the feeling of “unease” did not dissipate.
Just as Renji was about to press further for information, an unexpected change suddenly occurred.
Even Tianyu on the other end of the phone could not predict this turn of events.
It was a terrifying aura that nearly solidified the air, descending from the heavens without warning, as if the very fabric of the world trembled.
Even Renji, who had maintained his cool and indifference, suddenly looked up at that moment.
His gaze pierced through the night, staring at the starry sky above—
The originally silvery starlight illuminating the entire night sky was now suppressed by another light, even more dazzling and brilliant.
It was a blindingly pale radiance cascading down from high above, as if it were a second sun dawning upon the night.
The outlines of everything around him were instantaneously illuminated by this pale magical glow; whether it was the sky, the ocean, or the land, all were enveloped in a heart-stopping whiteness.
A bright and magnificent beam of light, piercing through the heavens, resembled a divine punishment spear that penetrated the earth.
Dark clouds rolled like waves, as though the sky was being torn apart by an invisible giant hand, causing the entire night sky to tremble slightly.
Elemental Fusion.
Almost the instant the beam of light came into view, Renji accurately perceived its essence.
He had investigated Special Circle Sema and the three major academies and knew that they had jointly developed an ultimate weapon hidden in orbit around the Earth, capable of launching the most powerful “elemental fusion” level attack from high above.
Renji was acutely aware of the destructive power of “elemental fusion.”
If it were to touch the ground, even if it were just the residual waves, the entire island could be completely swallowed and erased from the map.
In an instant, Renji made a judgment in his mind.
Rational thought compelled him to decisively divert his attention from the two X-level ability users before him.
The unseen balance wheel subsequently changed its measured target—
But Renji did not intend to view “elemental fusion” as an “enemy.”
The balance could only regard individuals with magical power as objects, and such a pure magical attack could not be placed on the balance to achieve “absolute equilibrium.”
Thus, Renji had no intention of directly confronting this level of attack.
He retracted the balance authority, intending only to let the “lab rat” test the waters for him.
Almost simultaneously.
The two X-level ability users, who had been in a state of heightened tension, suddenly perceived that their powers had been restored.
—Take this opportunity to unleash their strongest strike to kill the man before them?
No, such an option did not appear in their already irrational minds.
At this moment, their thoughts centered solely on one idea—flee, the farther the better!
The next second, two white shadows tore through the air, blazing towards the island’s edge at breakneck speed.
Renji’s eyes, glowing with a greenish hue, narrowed slightly as he watched the two figures pass through the coastline unscathed, rushing into the outer region, and ultimately disappearing far from his line of sight.
This confirmed for Renji that fleeing the island was safe and feasible at this moment.
He had just been concerned about whether there were other ability users lying in ambush on the outskirts of the island or if this descending “elemental fusion” might have a similar effect to a “sealed area.”
Thus, he intentionally revealed a flaw in front of those two ability users, using them as “test subjects” to probe for himself.
It was indeed regrettable not to gain intelligence from them.
But just as Tianyu had said earlier—
Everything must prioritize one’s own life and safety.
“It’s our turn.”
Renji’s tone was calm but unyielding as he decisively turned around, his gaze falling on Professor Amachi and Alice behind him, and spoke succinctly.
Just as he bent down, preparing to lift both of them, at that moment—
Professor Amachi, who had been weakly kneeling on the ground and seemed on the verge of fainting, suddenly caught sight of something unusual with his peripheral vision.
His nearly exhausted body seemed to be driven by a strong premonition, an unforeseen power erupted from within, and he struggled to push through his almost ruptured knee muscles and staggered to his feet.
He lunged toward Renji, using all his strength to shove the latter aside.
“Watch out—!!!”
Accompanied by a hoarse roar that echoed through the night sky, the next instant—
A purple-black starlight suddenly shot forth from the corpse of the X-level ability user that had collapsed not far away.
That radiance dragged along an ominous trail, like poisonous fangs spewing lethal venom, heading straight for Renji’s position.
That was “The Fragments of the End.”
An existence that could not be eradicated.
When the “host” dies, the fragments peel away from the depths of the soul, automatically seeking the next “host” to inhabit.
This was classified information about “The Fragments of the End.”
Even among Special Circle Sema and the three major academies, only a select few were aware of it.
And Professor Amachi, who had been conducting related research, happened to fall into that small category.
That’s why a heavy unease had always shrouded his heart.
Fighting X-level ability users, “killing” them was not the “end,” but more like a “beginning.”
When that unforgettable purple-black starlight reappeared in his vision—
He instinctively judged, expending the last ounce of vitality and consciousness, to push Renji away from that destined trajectory.
And he himself took on the “Fragments of the End” for Renji.
Facing “The Fragments of the End,” mere evasion was meaningless.
They would continue to act until they found a new soul to inhabit.
Thus, when this fragment emerged, one of the people present would inevitably be infected.
Renji, Alice, or himself.
Professor Amachi believed he was the best target.
Setting aside other factors, at least his soul had long been infected by “The Fragments of the End,” and there was no need to add another victim cursed by the fragments.
…
…
When this brand new fragment infused into his soul—
A memory long buried deep within his soul seemed to be forcibly pried open, an uncontrollable deluge surged forth, swallowing his consciousness in an instant.
It was the nightmare he least wanted to revisit in his life—
The scene where they “buried” the Elemental Sovereign with their own hands…
Witnessing his granddaughter “sacrifice” herself…
…
Every frame felt as if it had been etched into the depths of his soul; even though years had passed, the images still carried unhealable pain.
The suffering he thought he had long accepted and overcome was now once again torn open in the fissures of his soul under the catalyst of the Fragments of the End.
Just like that fragment searching for a hollow to parasitize, the sorrow brought by memories tore through the protective layer of his soul, fully opening the fissure.
From that cracked “void,” a torrent of magical power erupted.
Thump, thump—
Like the booming heartbeat, it echoed low in his ears, each sound seemed to strike deep within his soul.
That surge of magic rapidly expanded within him, tinting his eyes with a fiery glow.
He had experienced all of this once before in the past.
But he had never imagined he would undergo it all again.
The moment of awakening had arrived once more.
“Get down.”
Just as Professor Amachi was feeling immense pain and the moment of his second awakening was upon him, Renji’s calm yet sharp voice came from beside him.
With an outstretched arm, Renji suddenly threw Professor Amachi to the ground, pinning his shoulder while quickly reaching out to Alice beside him, placing his palm on her back, his movements decisive and swift.
Simultaneously, he himself pressed just as closely to the ground as possible, lowering to the utmost limit.
The next moment—
A shockwave, as if to lift the entire island, swept in from a short distance away.
That was the place where the heavenly light struck.
However, the violent explosion anticipated did not occur as expected.
In its place was another beam of light radiating the same magical fluctuations, rising high from within the island, shooting straight toward the heavens.
The two beams converged in the high air near sea level, and at the moment of impact, they erupted into a dazzling pure white light.
So bright it seemed to consume the entire world.
The surging energy forcibly pushed the surrounding sea surface aside, revealing a vast emptiness, exposing the foundational structure hidden beneath the island—
As if the skin of the world was being peeled back, revealing its true visage.
