Chapter 65: Heavenly Spear

Broken arms and flesh flew through the air, blood gushing from the broken cross-section like fire. Now, Bessen's body had merged with Kanin's, no longer a formless illusion. Flesh and blood allowed him to exert his power, but precisely because of this, he could be cut!

Chu Hengkong only had time to open his eyes after he drew his sword. He met a pair of burning eyes, their pupils erect like cyan scars. Kanin didn't look at his lost limbs, he only stared at Chu Hengkong's sword.

"I have a way, killer." His whisper was like a snake's voice, "But I also... don't want to lose!!"

Blood gushed out of his wound like a fountain, instantly transforming into a flaming snake head. The snake bit down on Chu Hengkong, pushing him backward. A blinding flame erupted from its mouth, threatening to explode along with Chu Hengkong!

Ji Huaisu rushed forward, smashing the snake's head with her shield, forcing it to release its grip. She landed with Chu Hengkong, but a second snake head emerged from its body, opening its jaws to seize Chu Hengkong's blade. Seizing the moment of attack, it unleashed its might, yanking the rock blade free and flinging it far beyond the battlefield.

There was no time to retreat and find a knife. Chu Hengkong stood firm and was forced to fight the enemy with his bare hands. Kanin was surrounded and protected by the two giant snakes. He drew several magic circles with flames and stabbed his claws into the center of the magic circle.

(Wake up, Kanin!) Bethan shouted in his heart, (We've been fighting for so long just to win, right? But if you keep going like this, you'll burn your life to ashes. A dead person can't be the city lord...)

Bessen's cries faded, and after merging with the contractor, he could sense Kanin's thoughts. Kanin was actually thinking about crows, about the birds flying across the sky, gazing at the magnificent scene above.

Come on, friend. It heard its partner laugh. When have we ever been afraid of death?

(You are truly insane.) Benson's voice fades away. (Go ahead, you crazy bastard.)

Kanin let out an unpleasant laugh: "Deep fusion...Avoid the Fire Serpent!"

His entire body melted in the azure flames, and several "bubbles" bulged from his lower body, from which emerged azure snake heads. Nine of these massive heads formed the most aggressive aspect of the Ambitious Demon. A single, flaming eye opened amidst the serpents, radiating a ray of pure power. The two men, about to attack, quickly dodged. The line of fire cut through the ground, extending across nearly half the courtyard, creating a path of blazing fire!

"What the hell is this outrageous thing?" Ji Huaisu yelled.

Chu Hengkong yelled back: "I don't know. Aren't you a demon expert?"

"I've never fought someone this crazy before! Holy shit, jump!"

The ground rumbled, and from the cracks created by the fire, a dense string of light points emerged. Each light point was a snake head. Countless snake heads burst out from the ground, like a burning forest rising from the ground, dancing wildly in the city!

Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu managed to steady themselves, leaping forward on the snakes' bodies. New snake heads appeared at every turn, biting them. They seemed to be weaving through a living web, the center of which was the ambitious Kanin. Ji Huaisu charged forward with his shield of light, while Chu Hengkong dodged and leaped up and down.

The fire of ambition raged within them moment by moment, and the spirit fueled by the talisman was nearly exhausted. They had to eliminate Kanin before the critical moment, or face certain death. However, the fire snake forest continued to grow relentlessly, and their desperate efforts only spun Kanin further and further away. Kanin's goal of victory differed from theirs. He controlled the snakes from a distance to block their advance, while he himself rammed the headquarters building with brute force. The nine heads of the fire-averse serpent possessed immense destructive power, their immense bulk capable of crushing several floors in a single sweep.

It's almost reaching the 30th floor of the temple! When the totem at the core of the Dragon is destroyed, Ji Qiufeng outside the city will lose all support!

"Use your ultimate skill to hit it again!" "I told you it can't be used! Where's your lightning whip?" "Not enough range!"

The two men's range of movement narrowed, forced to stand back to back under the heavy siege. There was no room to move. The sound of buildings collapsing came from far away, like the finale of the world's destruction. Burning snakes surrounded them from all directions, pressing down endlessly, like the collapse of the blue sky.

At this moment, Chu Hengkong heard a movement, and a clear light flashed in his vision. A water cannon pierced the blue flames, penetrating the snakes and clearing a bright path!

The second and third water cannons followed, and dozens of similar attacks approached, suppressing the Fire Serpent's advance with a desperate momentum. Water bubbles originated from the edge of the battlefield, from the urgently assembled resurrection troops. Every active soldier arrived, maneuvering armored vehicles to break through the encirclement. Jie An stood at the forefront and shouted, "All troops, water power! Pave the way for the captain, inspector!"

"Understood!"

The soldiers adjusted their cannons, linking the water cannons together to form a transparent bridge. Chu Hengkong and Ji Huaisu leaped up with all their might, breaking through the swarm of snakes and leaping onto the bridge, stepping on the surging water and rushing towards the demon!

Kanin, noticing the change, controlled the snakes to attack the chariot, but new troops followed, allowing the fragile bridge to reach his main body. In a few breaths, the two enemies approached, but Kanin's movements slowed due to excessive energy consumption.

He desperately squeezed the strength within him, manipulating the flames through horrific pain, drawing dozens, hundreds of miniature magic circles. He stared at the relentless enemy, his roar resembling the roar of the earth below: "You're willing to go to this extent! Are you so willing to be used by others?!"

"If I wanted to be the city lord..." Chu Hengkong clenched his fists, "I would build my own city!"

They reached the end of the water bridge. From the hundreds of miniature magic circles Kanin had created, cyan "seeds" emerged, flickering like candlelight. Flame seeds erupted with unpredictable patterns, creating a deadly minefield in the sky. Ji Huaisu was struck down by the flames, but Chu Hengkong managed to break through the flame seeds' interception. He held a light shield in his hand.

"Next!" Ji Huaisu swung his arm with his last breath, and the shadow blade flew out of his hand, swirling and twirling until it landed in a firm hand. Chu Hengkong gripped the shadow blade tightly, twisting his body. Nine snake heads surged forward, and among the many serpents was the cyan eyeball. The first snake head bit him head-on, but he used the snake's eye as a springboard to launch himself again, dodging the second and third heads. He raced across the burning snakes, closing in on his target amidst the excruciating pain of scorched flesh.

The fourth and fifth snake heads swarmed from both sides, spewing flaming stars. Chu Hengkong waved his tentacles, blocking most of the attacks. Then, a vicious wind blew, and the sixth head bit from behind. He quickly performed a back bridge to avoid the attack. Burning scales grazed his face, and the burns darkened half of his vision. Chu Hengkong endured the pain and swung his sword, using the shadow blade to decapitate the giant snake. Then, his feet gave way, and the snake heads he had been using as stepping stones collapsed. He fell from the air, and the final three heads surged towards him!

The giant snake's maw expanded infinitely before Chu Hengkong's eyes. With nowhere to escape in mid-air, he was swallowed instantly by the fiery snake. The snake's trunk instantly expanded, and a massive force, emanating from its breath, threatened to incinerate the killer. But a pitch-black blade pierced the snake from within, swiftly carving a line of death across its surface. In the split second before the explosion, Chu Hengkong swung his blade with all his might, slicing his way out of the snake's body.

He had already killed his way to the core of the Fire-Afraid Snake. The strange and changeable sword light turned into a black crescent moon, avoiding any obstruction and slicing through the blue eyeball!

The Demonic Eye shattered, revealing a severely wounded Kanin at the core. The slash had nearly bisected him, his handsome features shattered, his chest and abdomen nearly completely severed. But his heart remained intact; the burning heart still beat, its smooth surface reflecting his expressionless face.

Chu Hengkong's vision had been lost by half earlier. His strike was therefore an inch shallower. A fatal inch!

"Wither away beneath the sky, killer!"

Kanin's eyes blazed with blue fire. This was the simplest and fastest attack, and at this moment, no other method could surpass it. Chu Hengkong's sword grip fell limply. He didn't have time to swing it again. Time was only enough to make the simplest decision: die or flee.

Chu Hengkong couldn't escape. The green flames struck him head-on, instantly scorching his flesh. The charred corpse, enveloped in flames, fell like a snake... Yet, within the blazing flames, a pair of resolute eyes opened! At the last moment, he chose to attack, resisting the final flames with his impassive stance, turning the momentum into the foundation for his next attack.

He bet that he could hold on, and gambled his life on the life of his enemy!

"It is your life that will wither in mid-air!"

With a declaration as chilling as hell, Chu Hengkong twisted his muscles, deflecting the flames of ambition. His tentacles spun as they contracted, the enemy's attack, the strength within him, and the last vestiges of his willpower all coming together, converging in less than a thousandth of a second.

The silver spear shot out, the atmosphere roaring, and transparent sonic booms spread out multiple times. Like an archer unleashing a sure-hit arrow through the sky, he unleashed a swift strike at the demon. The spear pierced the fire of ambition, pierced the demon's serpentine head, passing through numerous obstacles and shattering its glass-like heart in one blow.

Shatter Kanin's fantasy!

·

The heartbroken ambitious man fell from a height, accompanied by a stream of light and broken fire.

The last of his life had been consumed, the pact between man and the devil fulfilled to its fullest. His body was dissipating, wisps of it dimming and fading, like a dying fire after its firewood had burned out. His eyes, fading, gazed at the sky, and in their gazes, he saw a black crow.

He watched as the crow snatched gold foil from everywhere and stuck it to its feathers. Then the crow looked even bigger and more beautiful, flapping its radiant wings and soaring into the sky, transforming into a golden-winged bird. It was about to soar to the highest point, basking in the sunlight beyond the heavens.

But for some reason, the crow gradually couldn't fly any higher. It was about to break through the sky, but it could never get close to the finish line. Kanin, who was watching, became anxious. He stretched out his hand to the crow, wanting to help it one last time.

He couldn't reach out. Then he heard his partner's voice, as weak as his own, just as helpless and honest.

“It’s settled, Kanin,” said Bethan.

There is no afterward.

His vision cleared. He saw the gold foil on the bird's wings melt, its flesh searing from the heat. A light shone down from the heavens, hotter than fire, brighter than gold. The unrivaled warrior stood in the light, and for a moment, his gaze met Kanin's.

He sought traces of the heretics, but found only pale corpses. The gamble had truly come to an end. He fell amidst the stream of light and fire, transforming back into the charred crow.

But at least there was a moment when I was standing high in the sky.

Kanin smiled silently, then shattered into colorless ash on the ground. Buried in the dust along with his obsession and madness.

(End of this chapter)