Extra 4: The Blade of Tracing Back
Ashura suddenly opened his eyes.
The air was filled with the turbid smell of sulfur, blood and rust, which was unique to the abyss. In the ears were the harsh sounds of chains dragging in the depths of the dungeon and the rude scolding of the jailer.
He lowered his head stiffly and saw his huge palm with distinct knuckles - there was no golden blood of the gods that was later stained and could not be washed off, only the dark skin color and familiar demonic patterns that belonged to the ghosts and gods of the abyss.
More importantly, a powerful force that had not yet been consumed by the subsequent brutal battles was surging in his blood.
This was not the Heart of the Pure Land, the palace where he and Indra ruled side by side.
This is... the Abyss Dungeon from long ago.
Then, a tsunami of memories flooded into his mind crazily—not a gradual memory, but a complete future with all the emotional imprints, all the pain and despair!
Indra's smile, Indra's tears, Indra's betrayal, Indra's blood-stained figure in the lotus pond, the countless times they came close and were torn apart, and finally... the fragile companionship that was painstakingly constructed during those long years.
Everything is as clear as if it just happened.
He's back. Back to the beginning.
His heart pounded so hard it threatened to shatter his sternum. Ecstasy and agony tore at him simultaneously. Ecstasy at the chance to make amends for all his regrets, agony at the prospect of facing that Indra once again... a man who hadn't experienced anything yet, whose eyes still held calculation and distance.
"Your Majesty!" A familiar voice rang out. It was Aoki. He pointed deep into the dungeon, his tone filled with hatred for the Celestial Clan. "We discovered a Celestial Clan spy. How do we deal with him?"
Asura looked in the direction.
Just one glance and his blood almost froze.
It's him.
Young Indra.
Both arms were bound on the gallows, thick iron chains locked around slender wrists, the moon-white robe was stained with dust and scattered bloodstains, and the long sandy blond hair hung down, partially covering her face. However, her broken yet enchanting beauty, her deliberately revealed weakness and innocence, were exactly the same as the scene of their first encounter deep in her memory!
In his previous life, he was deceived by this appearance, step by step...
Intense pain and a fury of being mocked by fate instantly washed over Ashura. He saw not only the seemingly harmless boy before him, but also the future figure who would smile and plunge a dagger into his heart, a wound not fatal but piercing. Indra, pale and near death in the lotus pond, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, yet a chasm between them remained constant.
All the love, hatred, and resentment exploded at this moment, making him lose his mind.
He strode forward, even more violently than in his previous life, grabbed the slender man's neck, and slammed him against the cold stone wall! His movements were so swift that all the Asuras watching were stunned.
"Ugh!" Indra was caught off guard and uttered a painful groan. He raised his eyes in astonishment, his golden pupils constricted by the suffocation and the sudden attack, filled with genuine confusion and a subtle hint of panic.
No... Didn't the intelligence say that, while Ashura was violent, he wasn't completely mindless? Why was he different from what I expected? This insane killing intent was barely concealed!
"Your Majesty?" Aoki was also stunned.
Ashura approached Indra, his silver-gray eyes swirling with a storm and pain from the future that no one present could understand. He practically squeezed his voice through his teeth, a low, dangerous voice with a chill that penetrated his bones:
"Celestial Clan liar... Do you think you can fool me a second time with the same trick?"
Emperor Shitian's pupils suddenly constricted, his heart pounding! What did he know? How could he possibly know? The plan was flawless! A strong sense of crisis instantly gripped him, but his instinct for disguise forced him to quickly suppress his shock, trying to appear even more vulnerable and helpless, even forcing tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Your Majesty... I don't understand... I'm just a lost..." His voice trembled and the performance was perfect.
If it were the Asura in the previous life, he might have hesitated.
But now, watching this incredibly familiar, meticulously calculated performance, Ashura felt a sweet taste rising up his throat. This was it! He'd been fooled time and time again!
Rage and bone-gnawing pain consumed him. He suddenly lowered his head and bit down hard on the junction of Emperor Shitian's exposed shoulder and neck! It wasn't a flirtation or a mark, but a punitive bite, filled with the meaning of venting anger, and he could taste blood instantly.
"Ah!" Emperor Shitian finally couldn't help but cry out in pain, his body trembling violently. For the first time, true fear and confusion appeared in his golden eyes. This man... is he crazy?!
Ashura raised his head and licked the blood from his lips. His eyes were dark and frightening. He leaned close to Indra's ear and spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear, word by word, icy and bone-chilling:
"Put away your tricks, Indra." "I know exactly where you come from and what you want to do." "This time, the rules of the game... are determined by me."
He suddenly loosened his grip, letting Indra fall helplessly to the ground, coughing and gasping violently. The purple fingerprints and bleeding teeth marks on his white neck were shocking.
Ashura looked down at him, as if he were a prey caught in his grasp, destined to never perform according to the original script. There was no joy in his heart, only a cold, painful ruin.
He knew he had screwed up. But he couldn't control it. Facing this ignorant Indra, who carried all his love and hate, he couldn't remain calm, couldn't remain composed.
The gears of fate seemed to be still turning, but at this moment, because of a returner who carried all the memories, a sharp and off-track friction sound was emitted.
Indra curled up on the cold ground, holding his aching neck, looking up at the red-haired ghost god who turned and left, exuding an aura more terrifying than the abyss. His golden pupils were filled with unprecedented shock, pain, and a hint of genuine curiosity and awe at having his entire plan disrupted.
This person is completely different from the one he knew.
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