Grand Ancestral Bloodlines Chapter 2217

[ … words ]

Solara became a mass of chains, many coming into and ejecting out of her body. She had almost become a queen of arachnids, her chains lashing just as often as they became her legs.

She lifted herself up into the air for only a moment before the world changed again.

Chi.

She felt as though her connection to her Dao was severed. All Ryu did was lift a finger and a beam of black cut at what looked like empty air.

And then it was over.

She had barely just risen again when she came crumbling back to the ground.

Ryu had already been studying the passive form of her Dao. He had literally used it to rebuild his Inner World and refine [A God’s Brush]. Activating it now only made her even more vulnerable to him.

The same echoes of disappointment thrummed in her mind, and there was nothing she could do to escape it this time, even if it was exactly what she wanted.

Never did she think that the first time she unleashed her Dao into the world in so very many years would end like this. It didn’t even fully manifest; its might wasn’t even displayed to the world before its wings were unceremoniously clipped.

Shattered.

She collapsed to the ground, the echoes of a beast’s growl resounding in her ears. No, it felt more like a wounded beast backed into a corner. And yet, it was more than willing to fight for life with everything it had.

And then it was over her.

Ryu grabbed her throat and lifted her up. His grip was so tight that her already injured body almost shut down.

His body should have been too weak to even begin to harm someone as powerful as she was. And yet, he had managed to do it without relying on his own fists at all.

It truly was pathetic.

Solara coughed, her feet dangling in the air. But she didn’t so much as reach for the hand on her throat.

Another howl blew her hair back, and once again, she understood the words perfectly.

I am the Heavens.

Words that were arrogant beyond belief, and yet she couldn’t gather up the same disdain—just a laugh.

“Maybe… I should marry you, then…”

It was nothing more than a joke, a joke at her own expense. When Ryu first appeared, she had said the Heavens was the only thing she would marry. Now, having lost to a man who claimed to be it, and feeling more pathetic than she ever had in her life, she said this.

In reality… she would rather die.

As for Ryu, he didn’t even react to it as though he was entirely incapable of comprehending what she had said.

“No…” Solara spoke out weakly once more, but she couldn’t resist.

She was pulled into Ryu’s Inner World.

He was entirely uninterested in killing her, not when she would make a Summon that was far better. Or maybe… he would turn her into a Corpse Puppet.

How good would that feel… to take the granddaughter of the man who had tried to ruin his life and turn her into a slave?

A savage grin spread across his face.

He would be the Dome of the Heavens. His presence couldn’t be blasphemed, and all those that did…

Would have to pay a dear price for it.

His gaze shifted, landing on those familiar words on the obelisk once again. An equally familiar pressure washed over him.

Ryu howled.

…

BANG! BANG!

The Divine Chain Ancestor was forced to take two heavy steps back, cursing as the barrier stopped him once again.

He had far more power to use, but the Title Stele barrier was like its own paradox. The last time he broke it, the treasure had been in a state of dormancy, so he had been able to save his granddaughter.

But this time, it was fully awake.

If he used too much power, he would be blasted apart. But if he used too little power, he would be blasted back like this.

There was probably a sweet spot he could find, but by the time he did, his granddaughter would be—.

The old man’s head snapped back. A zooming power over the distance caught all of his attention. For the moment, he even forgot about his granddaughter, his eyes sharpening.

A beauty with fluttering golden hair and crimson eyes as dense as rubies coated in blood appeared, small beads of sweat falling from her brow like droplets of diamonds.

The old man was floored by her beauty first, and then he became confused. Just what was such a powerhouse doing here? And how hard did such an existence have to push for them to look so… tired?

He was directly ignored. The beauty didn’t even look his way as though he wasn’t there, slamming into the barrier with a palm.

BANG!

Her arm exploded into a rain of blood, but she didn’t seem to notice at all as she slammed out with another.

A Fairie appeared above her shoulder, weaving its golden lights into her empty arm socket.

BANG!

Her other arm shattered, but her first had already grown back and she slammed out again.

It was a continuous, vicious cycle, endless and relentless.

The old man watched from the side, his pupils trembling.

Injuries created by such a powerful treasure, especially one that controlled Fate, shouldn’t be even remotely so easy to heal. If they were, why would he just be sitting around here?

“Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!”

The beauty roared.

The old man could feel that she was trying to close in on the sweet spot he had been looking for too. But the problem was…

“… It doesn’t exist,” he spoke to himself softly.

This wasn’t a normal treasure after all. There was no way to make it through.

Tears flowed from the beauty’s eyes, a dense regret pooling out of her.

Tendrils of black began to emit from her chest, her tears became howls.