"Ninisha?"
When they saw who had arrived, Gaislesen and the others' expressions changed dramatically. Gaia's eyes widened, and she fixed a burning glare on Ninisha.
"Lady Ninisha!"
Barbary's face lit up with joy. He immediately led the others back, leaving space for Ninisha and Dannington.
"Ninisha, this is our first time meeting, isn't it?"
Dannington raised his sword-like eyebrows and spoke in a much gentler tone. His attitude toward her was far better than it had been toward the others.
"Dannington, if we'd met somewhere else, I'd have been happy to talk with you. But right now, please step aside. The Four Divine Beasts Clan must be wiped out!"
Ninisha made no comment on Dannington's attitude. A flash of violet lightning flickered in her eyes.
"I have no intention of protecting the Four Divine Beasts Clan forever. It's only for ten trillion years. If possible, I hope you'll do me this favor."
Dannington paid no heed to Ninisha's attitude and spoke in his usual easygoing manner.
"And if I refuse?"
A trace of coldness flashed in Ninisha's eyes. She moved her right hand, and a Sovereign Artifact spear radiating immense thunderous power appeared.
"Then I'll have no choice but to test your strength!"
Dannington's smile vanished, and his expression turned serious. A gray Sovereign Artifact armor appeared over his body. Then he transformed into a blood-red streak and charged at Ninisha.
"Rumble~~"
In an instant, the heavens and earth changed color. Purple thunderclouds covered a thousand meters, and streaks of golden light flashed within them. The entire mass of clouds then turned into a beam of light and converged on Ninisha's spear.
"Dannington! Take this!"
Thunderlight poured from Ninisha's mouth. Her spear roared, and space was torn apart, revealing glimpses of the seven-colored Spatial Turbulence through the shattered rifts.
Laws of Thunder—Elemental Mysteries Attack: Endless Sea of Thunder!
"Bring it on!"
Rather than retreat, Dannington surged forward. Excitement flashed in his eyes as two blood-red pillars of light rose from his outstretched hands and plunged into the sea of thunder.
"Zzzzt~~"
The blood-red light spread instantly, seemingly transforming into a boundless sea of blood that interwove with the sea of thunder. Brilliant blue-violet light illuminated the whole world.
"Hahaha, Ninisha, a little trick like that won't do a thing to me!"
Dannington rose into the air, his loose dark cyan robe fluttering. An excited smile tugged at his lips.
As a Paragon who cultivated the Rules of Death, Dannington wasn't as skilled as Ninisha at material attacks or defense. That didn't mean his material attacks and defense were weak, though. Willpower was the foundation of a Paragon's power.
Even though Dannington excelled in the soul-related aspects of combat, Ninisha's material attacks would still struggle to hurt him. With the added protection of his material-defense Sovereign Artifact, Dannington had every reason to be confident.
"Then let's go again!"
Ninisha snorted. Purple crystal covered her entire body, transforming her into a warrior clad in Violet Lightning Armor. She then streaked toward Dannington in a flash of golden light.
"What speed! No wonder she's a Lightning Paragon!"
Dannington's pupils contracted in shock. She was a little faster than him, but his hands moved without delay. Blood-red light enveloped his fists as he met Ninisha's spear head-on.
"Zzzzt~~"
Spatial rifts flashed constantly through the void. The two figures moved at an unbelievable speed. Below them, Gaislesen and the others, along with Barbary's group, watched with grave expressions.
"Should we attack now?"
Shengnaer glanced around and carefully sent his question by voice transmission.
"If you want to die, go ahead!"
Bolin shot him a glare, then narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the battle in the sky. Until the two combatants decided the winner, they couldn't make a move.
Unless Dannington and Ninisha reached an agreement and allowed them to attack, doing so would make them Dannington's enemies. They were the Eight Great Clans, not Ninisha; they had no standing to treat Dannington as an equal.
As their divine power continued to surge, both combatants flew higher and higher. But neither Dannington nor Ninisha noticed the faint blue silhouette high above them, a million meters in the air.
"Dannington actually stepped in. The Sovereign of Destruction must have given him permission!"
Palhouse watched the two Paragons below repeatedly tear through space and pondered for a moment.
The next instant, a mass of Water Sovereign Power gathered over the South Sea in the Qingya Plane, transforming into a round-faced, middle-aged man.
"Lord Sovereign, the Four Divine Beasts Clan has been surrounded. But Dannington suddenly appeared and claimed he would protect them for ten trillion years. Ninisha is fighting him now."
Palhouse came to Hope's side, bowed his head, and spoke respectfully.
"Oh? Dannington? Utrade really doesn't want the Four Divine Beasts Clan wiped out."
Hope raised an eyebrow slightly. The situation with the Four Divine Beasts Clan didn't surprise him.
In Blue Star's memories, Utrade had once taken the Four Divine Beasts Clan's High Gods away to perfect Space-Time Disorder. Hope didn't know exactly what use their High Gods had to Utrade, but clearly, they were necessary to him.
"Then, Lord Sovereign, should we still wipe out the Four Divine Beasts Clan?"
Palhouse asked, uncertain what to do.
The news of the Four Divine Beasts Sovereigns' deaths had originally been spread by Palhouse through Barbary. Given the animosity between the Four Divine Beasts Sovereigns and their side, Palhouse wouldn't stoop to attacking Gods himself. But once he let the news out, someone else would naturally deal with the Four Divine Beasts Clan.
Palhouse had also made a point of telling Ninisha. For one thing, Ninisha had a grudge against the Four Divine Beasts Clan too, and the death of their Sovereigns offered a perfect opportunity to settle it. For another, the Eight Great Clans weren't strong enough to completely overwhelm the Four Divine Beasts Clan, so some might escape.
Palhouse hadn't expected Dannington to show up, though. Now that Ninisha was fighting him, the situation had changed. The Sovereign of Destruction had intervened.
"Don't worry about it. Have Bayer join the fight. Dannington won't be able to hold them off two against one."
Hope barely raised his eyelids before answering. His tone showed no concern whatsoever for the Sovereign of Destruction's thoughts.
Palhouse's heart jolted. He nodded firmly, and his projection vanished.
After Palhouse left, Hope put away the magic array and shook his head slightly.
If the Sovereign of Destruction had come to discuss it with him, Hope wouldn't have minded sparing the Four Divine Beasts Clan for a while. But Utrade had sent Dannington to interfere without so much as a word, so Hope wouldn't hold back either. He would simply have Ninisha and Bayer join the fight.
As for Utrade's intentions, Hope might not be able to defeat him now, but his own ultimate technique would at least let him protect himself.
Besides, Hope held the Essence Blood of the Four Divine Beasts. And since he was reluctant to give it to Utrade because of Space-Time Disorder, his relationship with Utrade was bound to sour in the future.