Volume Three: The Academy Runs Completely Amok - Rock-Circle Overlord (4)

It looks so familiar.

She felt a strong connection to this person.

"Zero... night?"

Hearing her soft call, the black-haired youth stirred slightly.

Even such a small movement caused a large amount of blood to seep from his wounds all over his body.

The rise and fall of her chest became increasingly faint.

With his joints shattered, his body could no longer support his weight, and he collapsed to his knees, powerless.

The blade piercing through his chest was so glaringly obvious.

"Ling Ye, you actually—"

The Stone Strike seemed to be saying something, but that didn't matter anymore.

Ling Ye slowly, very slowly, turned her head, as if she were using all her strength in this simple action of turning her head.

"Saki..."

Her blood-stained lips trembled, slowly opening and closing, weaving words.

"Xiao Wu... I..."

However, the conversation ended there.

After uttering those three words, he stopped as if suddenly realizing something.

Then, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a smile.

Was it a bitter smile of not being able to survive? Or a relieved smile of finally facing death? Xiao Wu couldn't tell.

"Ling Ye..."

All she knew was that she had lost another special person.

A person who is hard to understand.

A person, dragging their broken body, came to help them.

A person who is willing to die for himself.

"Why... why must it be..."

The young man remained silent.

The body fell to its side.

The stone spear fell to the ground.

Blood splattered on the ground.

My chest stopped rising and falling.

After those blue eyes, something seemed to disappear.

Gone forever.

It's finally come to this, Xiao Wu.

I told you to run away quickly, but you wouldn't listen, you idiot.

Well... in front of Stone Strike, there's no way to escape even if you want to.

I'm so lucky!

Born in darkness, raised in darkness, they should also be buried in darkness.

This filthy life, to end up like this, can be considered to have made the best use of its resources.

Am I a bit handsome?

Well, just kidding, I know I look really stupid no matter how you look at it.

In your eyes, I'm probably just a clown.

I laugh like an idiot, doing useless things, but I can't make you smile.

He's not even good enough to be a clown.

"Xiao Wu, I love you."

--That's what I wanted to say when I looked back at the end.

Just like the handsome protagonist in a novel who dies saving his lover.

But I'll pass.

Saying "I love you" in this situation is practically cheating.

It's like saying, "Because I saved your life, you have to accept my confession"—it's practically moral blackmail.

So in the end, I didn't say it.

But, but...

I only have one small wish at the end.

A wish that is too greedy for me.

Could you please remember me even a little?

I don't know if I'm qualified.

But it would be great if you could agree.

To have a place in the memories of the people I love is an immense honor for me.

Thank you, Xiao Wu.

It's wonderful to be able to live the last few years of one's life as a human being, rather than as a walking corpse.

I am complete because of you.

Even if life were to perish here,

My soul has been resurrected.

She gently brushed her hand across his blood-stained cheek.

I carefully closed his eyes.

He combed his messy hair.

Feeling the lingering warmth gradually dissipating.

"I'm quite impressed with you now, Ling Ye."

The rumbling sound of the Stone Strike came from above.

"Are you trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress? Or are you simply trying to spite me? Either way, your actions haven't added much value to your life."

Because--

A large, rock-like hand was raised.

"Your sacrifice cannot change her fate of dying!"

Swing your hand down!

"... Um?"

It was caught.

Her slender, blood-stained wrist caught Stone Strike's fist.

"Still has the energy!?"

Stone Strike was surprised again.

This girl gave him far too many surprises.

The atmosphere around her gradually turned icy, and even the air began to tremble slightly.

Sensing something, Stone Strike gently withdrew his hand.

In that very instant--

"Ghost transformation, 100%!"

Thank you.

And then, I'm sorry.

You're not wasting your time.

You are the greatest.

I will remember you.

I will imprint your image in my mind's eye.

Imprint your voice on your eardrums.

Infuse your memories into your very bones.

Your existence will be etched in my soul.

Thank you for doing so much for me.

It gave me courage.

If it can ensure your sacrifice isn't in vain.

I would gladly become a demon.

Waves of energy crashed against the earth, the aftershocks alone shattering the soil and rocks, forming a circular domain a hundred meters in diameter. The expanding spiritual energy crackled and popped as purple lightning bolts scattered in all directions. Ordinary people would be reduced to ashes if they got too close, and even Stone Strike felt a stinging pain on his exposed skin.

"This is..."

Stone Strike's eyes widened; he never imagined that Xiao Wu would go to such lengths.

100% demonization means a complete demonization state, where the Oni has completely fallen to the side of evil spirits.

Taking that step would mean certain doom.

"You actually... are you serious!?"

He had never heard of any Oni who had voluntarily become a demon; the vast majority of them would rather die than degenerate to such a state.

And this young girl before me is, through her own will, stepping into this abyss of no return—

Boom!!!

A burst of purple lightning erupted, a flash of intense light, and the girl within finally revealed herself.

Stone Strike was momentarily at a loss for how to react.

Are demons really that beautiful?

According to records, historically, Oni were completely transformed into demons would all become as ferocious and terrifying as ghosts and gods.

But the creature before us is clearly not one of them.

Her originally hip-length black hair had turned into dazzling white hair that reached her ankles, without a single stray color.

Its pupils turned a completely bright, crystal-like purple.

The fair skin became even paler.

The demon horn at the corner of its eyebrow is even more magnificent and eye-catching, with a spiral arc and covered with iridescent wave-like patterns, more exquisite than any other work of art in the world.

"Hiss... Hah..."

White mist was exhaled from his mouth.

Its canines became long and pointed, like a vampire's.

The fingernails had become incredibly sharp, their edges gleaming with a cold light.

"Hmph... Well, it's a rare opportunity to fight such a demon!"

Stone Strike clenched his fists, and countless stone blades immediately emerged from the ground, like an army awaiting orders, ready to tear the evil spirit to shreds at any moment!

Then, something even more shocking happened to Stone Strike.

The evil spirit did not immediately reveal its ferocious nature and pounce on them.

Instead, she gazed at the empty space before her with her beautiful, amethyst-like eyes, a hint of pity in them.

After a long while, she sighed softly.

Then they assumed the fighting stance of the Night Nether Style.

From Zhang He's cherry-colored lips, words were indeed spoken by humans.

"Come on, Stone Strike, let's settle this once and for all!"

After becoming completely demonized, the anticipated rage and ferocity surged into his brain like a tsunami.

But Xiao Wu did not lose her rationality.

Immersed in the torrent of violent power, her spirit floated like a buoy, yet was never completely submerged.

Her consciousness was perfectly clear; she simply accepted the baptism of the Demonic Power with equanimity.

Ling Ye's image kept flashing through her mind, but what she remembered was not his gruesome corpse, but the slightly sad, bitter smile he gave her at the end.

Just thinking about that scene makes the ferocity that invaded my mind disappear without me even realizing it, like dew evaporating in the sunlight.

Ling Ye created a miracle; it was because of him that Xiao Wu was able to become the first Oni to maintain her rationality while in a completely demonized state.

"I really should thank you, Ling Ye..."

I silently repeated this in my mind.

Although he will never hear it.

At the very least, let me repay him with my actions.

"Come on, Stone Strike, let's settle this once and for all!"

The evil spirit made a declaration to the monster.

"... ha."

The monster laughed for the first time.

"Hahaha... hahahahaha... hahahahahahahaha!!!"

He laughed heartily, a truly unrestrained and exhilarating laugh; it was the first time in his life he had laughed so joyfully.

"You're amazing! You're absolutely amazing! You're the most perfect warrior I've ever met in my life, Urahara Sakura Dance!!!!"

"--Don't listen to your nonsense!!!"

A purple-glowing left leg shot out with lightning speed, causing the air to groan without using any martial arts technique! Stone Strike laughed as he unleashed a powerful punch that collided head-on with the flying kick. The impact was deafening, and the shockwave caused the ground a kilometer in diameter beneath their feet to crumble into dust! The skin exposed on Stone Strike's fist, which had been severely injured by the Gun Blade, was ripped apart by the impact, and the sound of bones breaking could be heard from Xiao Wu's leg, but this did nothing to slow down their offensive!

"It's still so tough even though most of its defenses have been breached."

"Haha, same to you!"

The fracture in her left leg healed instantly. Xiao Wu kicked the air with her right leg, using the reaction force to flip her body in mid-air. Her right leg, crackling with purple lightning, slammed down towards Stone Strike's head! Stone Strike immediately crossed her arms to protect her head. The new layer of lead-gray stone collided with the downward kick again, and Xiao Wu was immediately sent flying more than ten meters away by this flawless defense! But Stone Strike's defense was no longer as impenetrable as before; cracks appeared on the hard stone layer!

The distance between them was temporarily increased, and the moment their eyes met, the fierce battle resumed!

"Ground Split Wave!"

Stone Strike struck first, unleashing a highly concentrated shockwave that hurtled towards Xiao Wu from the ground—if he could force her into the air, he'd have half the victory! Stone Strike thought to himself. However, Xiao Wu didn't dodge; instead, she charged forward to meet the shockwave head-on—

"Ryou-shiki: Ghoul Digging!!"

Her demon-transformed fingernails, now incredibly sharp, pierced the ground, tearing it apart with a single rip! The propagation path was instantly severed, and the shockwave beam, too close to the ground, was abruptly cut off! But her actions didn't stop there; the massive rock she had dug up rose into the air, and Xiao Wu slammed it down with a punch!

"Type 95 Table - Sand Breaker!!"

The giant rock shattered into countless fragments with a deafening roar, shooting towards Stone Strike. But Stone Strike merely made a thought and stopped the fragments halfway—attacking the overlord of the rock circle with rocks was simply a pipe dream!

Xiao Wu wasn't stupid; she couldn't possibly be unaware that such an attack was pointless. Therefore, her goal wasn't to inflict damage, but rather—

"It's a smokescreen!"

Stone Strike's giant hand stretched out to the side, and a shield of rock collided heavily with the punch coming from the side! Xiao Wu had used the sand and gravel as cover and her own high speed to get close to Stone Strike's side in just a moment!

"Tsk!!"

Seeing her surprise attack fail, Xiao Wu clicked her tongue and retreated like lightning. With several backflips, her long, pure white hair danced like snowflakes as she dodged the falling stones and those rising from the ground. When she looked back at Stone Strike, she found he had vanished without a trace!

"Down there!"

The supersensory abilities brought about by her complete demon transformation allowed Xiao Wu to sense the fluctuations beneath her feet at the last moment. She leaped into the air at lightning speed, and at the same time, a rough, giant rock hand tore through the ground and reached out, almost grabbing her target!

Xiao Wu leaped through the air, leaving a dazzling trail of purple lightning! Stone Tower shot towards her, each one narrowly dodged by her immense power! Just as her attention was diverted from below, a familiar, towering figure descended from the sky!

"Not again!?"

The same mountain created by supernatural power appeared even more suddenly than last time!

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The next chapter will be over 6700 words. Are you ready, everyone?