This Spear Will Kill You

Ling An strolled through the Tacet Discord Tide.

Every Tacet Discord turned and fled.

He held the absolute upper hand, sweeping across the battlefield with a presence that seemed to command mountains and rivers.

Suddenly, he began to recite:

"In youth I learned how harsh the world could be, yet still let echoes stir among the clouds;

Clad in Purple Flame, my body forged of iron, alone I walked through shifting dreams;

A crownless wanderer tempered countless times, drifting through worlds beyond my own;

Today my spear points where the Lament cries, devouring gods, devouring ghosts, devouring heaven."

The knot of gloom in his heart finally came undone. The pleasure of devouring Tacet Discords left him barely able to restrain his power.

Under that pressure, the bodies of the Tacet Discords in the inner ring began to crack apart.

The strength suppressed by the illusion began to return.

Seeing things take a bad turn, Scar charged down with his broadsword.

But it was already too late.

The Fractsidus's ability to control Tacet Discords was useless against Ling An.

Every Tacet Discord was fuel for him!

Lightwave Class?

They only had to draw a little closer to be crushed by his aura.

Overlord Class?

They could not last three exchanges against him.

He was Crownless.

The strongest of the Rumbling Tide-Class Tacet Discords.

Scar could no longer suppress him.

As he felt Ling An's strength climb steadily, Scar's expression grew increasingly grave.

With a furious roar, he charged into the Tacet Discord Tide.

Yet his blade was not aimed at Ling An. Instead, he began slaughtering the Tacet Discord Tide.

I can't let Ling An grow any stronger.

That was the only thought in Scar's mind.

Hundreds of Tacet Discords crumbled and vanished at their hands.

Until not a single Tacet Discord remained within the illusion.

Ling An met his gaze coldly. "This time, I have to admit it. You really are unhinged."

To turn his blade on his own side at a time like this-Scar was probably the only person in all of Solaris capable of it.

"My only regret is that I didn't kill enough." Scar eyed Ling An warily.

Violet flames rose and fell around the spot where Ling An stood.

Even the illusion Scar had created was on the verge of failing to contain that power.

Tacet Discord class?

No.

Although Tacet Discords could devour one another, advancing was far from a matter of simply piling up enough low-level Tacet Discords.

Yet the immense pressure radiating from Ling An now was probably only half a step away from Tacet Discord class.

"I'll take your ram's head for my crown!"

With a low shout, Ling An charged with his spear in hand.

Scar raised his broadsword, trying to block.

A single strike shattered the blade.

As astonishment flashed in Scar's eyes, Ling An drove his knee into him, sending him flying into the air.

Scar tried to twist aside and evade him.

But Ling An was faster.

He flashed above Scar and brought his spear sweeping down.

The blow slammed Scar into the illusion's barrier, shaking the entire space.

The illusion was about to give way.

Scar tried desperately to fight back. The worse his injuries became, the more unhinged he grew.

After throwing back his head and howling, he lunged at Ling An without any semblance of technique.

An opening. His eyes lit up. Ling An stood where he was without moving.

At the instant before contact, a palm struck Scar's forehead, sending him flying backward uncontrollably.

"Too slow."

Ling An's indifferent voice rang out.

Another palm strike followed. Scar was tossed back and forth like a punching bag.

Every time he was about to hit the ground, Ling An anticipated where he would land and flashed there ahead of him, launching another round of attacks.

"Unsteady footing."

"No strength in your core."

"Sloppy technique."

"Most importantly, you underestimated me-Crownless."

Finally, Ling An pressed a finger between Scar's brows, then flicked it.

With an explosive crack, Scar smashed into the ground, throwing up a thick cloud of dust.

Ling An stood motionless, like an ancient Greek statue.

Only after the dust cleared did Scar slowly haul his battered body upright. "Cough, cough... I admit it. You're stronger right now."

"So what? Do you want me to give you an award?" Ling An sneered.

In truth, he had no desire to get involved in the business between the Fractsidus and Tide Sis.

Tide Sis alone was the focus around which all the different powers converged.

Unfortunately, Scar had insisted on dragging him into the illusion too, forcing him to act.

"But there's one thing you failed to account for-" A sinister smile spread across Scar's face.

Ling An frowned.

The next second, Scar charged madly toward the unconscious Yangyang.

"Hahahaha! I'm guessing this is your weakness!"

He abandoned all pretense of composure and sprinted toward Yangyang.

Once he seized this chance, how could he fail to bring Ling An under his thumb?

What did it matter how powerful Ling An was?

Everyone had a weakness.

He leaped into the air. The Black Sheep's eyes saw nothing but Yangyang lying unconscious on the ground.

Ling An raised a hand and pointed. A streak of Purple Flame surged upward, cutting between Scar and Yangyang.

"Just as expected," Ling An said flatly.

He had read too many stories. Villains would often resort to anything, so how could he not have taken precautions?

Blocked by Purple Flame, Scar's eyes filled with despair.

He fell to the ground and looked up at the lone figure in the air.

"Crownless!!!"

He shrieked, his eyes stretched wide with fury.

Rage and hatred sought to pierce Ling An's heart like a knife.

Yet Ling An remained indifferent.

With a gentle sweep of his hand, he brushed those pointless emotions away.

At the same time, he summoned a wisp of Purple Flame.

Purple Flame climbed and curled around the spear held in his right hand.

A cold star gleamed at its tip, like the only light in the darkness.

"Scar..."

Holding his spear, Ling An spoke indifferently. Yet his gaze was not on Scar. Instead, he stared coldly at the spear's shaft.

"This spear will kill you."

As his words fell, he hurled the Purple Flame Spear, sending it shooting out like a streak of light.

It pierced Scar and the platform beneath him in an instant.

The streak of light continued unabated and struck the illusion's barrier.

Within one ten-thousandth of a second of contact, the illusion fractured inch by inch.

Like a mirror, it shattered.

Yet no joy appeared on Ling An's face. He frowned slightly and looked toward where Scar had just been.

There, a dark red portal was shrinking.

The instant he had thrown his spear, another force had suddenly intervened.

It had blocked the space between him and Scar.

He has help.

It must be whoever was controlling the Tacet Discords from behind the scenes.

Ling An turned his back, folding his violet-black wings.

When he turned around again, an elegant gray cat was lying in Yangyang's arms.

I've put in the work. Time to collect a little interest.

With that thought, Ling An wriggled farther into Yangyang's embrace.

Feeling that softness against him, he narrowed his eyes in comfort.

Before long, someone lifted him up.

"Hey. Doing that right in front of me is a bit much, don't you think?"

Tide Sis's eyes were full of warning as she enunciated every word.

Ling An met Tide Sis's gaze, utterly righteous. "I put in a lot of hard work just now!"

"What happened to Scar?"

"He escaped badly wounded. Someone helped him," Ling An said confidently, folding his forelegs across his chest.

"You're that strong?" Tide Sis stared at him in disbelief.

"Of course. Who do you think I am?" Ling An looked thoroughly pleased with himself.

"Whoever you are, you're still just a little pervy cat."

"Hey, I don't appreciate that-" Before Ling An could finish, his vision went dark.

Softness pressed against him as he was tucked into Tide Sis's embrace.

"Thanks for all your hard work," Tide Sis said gently.