Chapter 173: The Injured White Heavenly Emperors
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Kuroka, Zhuge Liang, and Vali came out of a space hole on another side of the world, in China. A grand desolate land lay before them, and Kuroka's mind map only sensed mindless beasts for kilometers around them.
"Phew," she sighed and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "We actually escaped."
"Aaah…!" Zhuge Liang fell on her butt, heaving a sigh and staring up at the sky. She had chosen this desolate place, instead of her Clan in China, because she feared that Aqua might have followed after them. In such a scenario, her Clan would perish as well. So she brought them here in this desert-like place.
"I can't believe I actually fell for your sweet words," Vali Lucifer glared at Kuroka, but really, he was glaring at his reflection in her eyes.
What? Kuroka felt her eyes twitch in annoyance, but she didn't say anything to anger him. Did he not see how Bikou and the rest of our team died? Honestly, should he not be thanking her for surviving, and making sure he survived too? At least not all of the Vali Team had been annihilated, thanks to her.
"Hey~ it's not sweet words. I know you want to die through an intense battle, but if you really want to die at the hands of someone who's senselessly more powerful than your current self, you could have picked a fight with Ophis, or Shiva by yourself. But what's the fun in that? When you're unable to fight back and the battle is one-sided?" she shrugged at him, "You just bought yourself time to grow stronger so that you can challenge him when you're on an equal footing. There's no shame in that."
"...."
Kuroka hung out with Vali in the hope of strong kids for her genes, but honestly did she want the kids of a man who couldn't even use his strength? And when in failure, he rather chose to bicker with her than understand why she did what she did. Vali's jaws clenched and he looked away from her, and she scoffed in her head.
What a loser.
Well, it's alright, she found a new candidate for her future kids today, so she'll leave Vali's side right away when she can. If he had bothered to touch her by now, she might have built some attachment for him, but he was a dry prude; she didn't feel any regret in abandoning him.
"...Where do you think we should go now?" Vali turned to her and asked, surprising her. What was this now, the proud Prince Lucifer bothered to ask her for suggestions on their next actions?
No way. Kuroka held back a bemused smirk. Did the little prince fall for her charms since she saved his life by convincing him to escape, while also glazing him about his strength with sugar-coated words so as not to make him feel insecure?
She smiled at him. Isn't he cute? Maybe I should stick with him for a bit longer. She pondered over his question for a moment and replied, "To China. Zhuge Liang's clan should provide us with a place to stay for now. We can discuss our next actions from then. Ah," she looked at the little girl, "You're alright with that, right?"
"But of course," the girl bowed to her, a lot more composed now that the danger that was Aqua wasn't nearby. "As you're my savior, it's only natural for me to return the favor. You're welcome to stay. Then, may I open a portal leading to my home right away?"
Vali looked at Kuroka, who held back a smile and nodded. "Go ahead."
Zhuge Liang nodded and raised a hand in the air, drawing a circle. The invisible circle lit up with light and spun to grow in size. It grew big enough for them to step in, and the empty circle began to show a different side.
Kuroka supposed it'd show some modern Chinese city, or some traditional Chinese buildings, or maybe even some mountains. What it showed was pure darkness.
"H-huh?!" Zhuge Liang gasped, while Vali and Kuroka looked at her in worry.
"What's wrong?" Vali asked and the little girl fearfully pointed at the black portal.
"I-it has been hijacked… the portal!" she shouted, and the two of them took a battle stance immediately. Kuroka couldn't believe more enemies were coming after their little team, did Aqua chase them or what?! How annoying.
"There you are," a soft, emotionless voice came from the other side. Kuroka's blood cooled, and her annoyance vanished. Pure cold fear filled her veins.
The sky darkened overhead, but not with clouds. The blue sky grew into dark red, the sheer presence of the entity behind the portal caused the air to grow many folds thick. It grew harder to breathe, while the ground crackled beneath their feet and the wind began to blow faster as if to flee the scene.
Vali tapped into his Juggernaut Drive immediately, while the figure of a small and gloomy girl floated out of the void portal. "Why did you have to betray me, Albion?" the Dragon of Dragons, Dragon God Infinity glared at Vali's helmet with cold anger.
Dammit, dammit, dammit-! Kuroka's mind went blank as she thought about solutions to survive this encounter. Hero Faction and Vali Team betrayed Ophis by switching to Indra's teams, and they were expecting the Dragon to react anytime soon.
But there couldn't be any worse time.
Couldn't she have come when they were in Indra's place?—In that case, she might have fought Aqua, and then at least Aqua would have died. She could have come later too, when they'd be in a better place, but they had to come when their morale was at its weakest and they had no other allies!
"Vali Lucifer," the Ouroboros Dragon said, turning to her, "and Kuroka. Die."
Her mouth widened, morphing disgustingly before she let out a black-purplish breath of void and erasure. The Void Dragon's Breath rushed toward Kuroka, while Vali let out a scream and rushed to stand in front of her, trying to tap into a greater power to survive this.
Thus, a losing battle began.
****
The air thrummed softly as a portal popped into the Liang Clan compounds in the mountains of China. Intricate buildings right out an ancient Chinese painting filled the area, while the beauty of mountains was painted around them. Servants worked with their brooms dancing to clean the dust, while lords and ladies of the Clan enjoyed tea.
It was quite a peaceful setting.
But it didn't remain so for long.
Zhuge Liang leaped inside through the portal, followed by two bloody figures. A woman with a massive wound on her waist, and a young man with a missing left arm followed right after, just as the portal collapsed into itself.
"P-prepare a healing room!" Zhuge Liang shouted, and the stupefied servants around them darted off. "Follow me, Kuroka, I'll lead the way!"
Kuroka spat out blood and nodded, dragging an unconscious Vali with her.
The young masters and lords of the Clan, people who were immensely powerful by human standards, rushed over to help her, but she rejected them. Her mind was busy thinking.
How lucky that a powerful Earth Dragon was hiding in those barren lands, one strong enough to deviate Ophis' attention? Ophis was weaker than her prime self nowadays, not just by a bit either, her powers had been halved. If not, the distraction wouldn't have mattered, escaping her would have been impossible.
Even in that weakened state, the Ouroboros Dragon was unbeatable—that's why they fled. The Earth Dragon should be dead by now, but at least they survived, even if Vali was seriously injured.
A room was prepared in a hurry, and cultivator medics quickly tended to both Kuroka and Vali. Although Vali didn't wake up, Kuroka managed to help her wound thanks to the medicine as well as her own Senjutsu; it had yet to heal, but she could move.
Upon her orders, the medics made a herbal bath and put Vali's unconscious body in the large barrel tub. The fragrance of flowers and medicines filled the chamber, while the moon shone high in the sky, casting moonlight through the windows.
The atmosphere was quite calming, but Vali's life was still in danger.
"Everyone, leave the room," Kuroka began to take off her kimono robes while the human medics ran off the room. She hesitated before stepping into the large barrel of water, sitting on his lap, and looking at his unconscious face.
He looked so vulnerable in his current state, and Kuroka didn't like weak men. She scoffed, shaking her head. "Stupid prideful little boy, you should have escaped her," if it was him, he could have fled. But his pride didn't let him, he stayed and fought.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes and tapped into Bouchujutsu. Since he did save her life, she supposed she'd save his one last time before leaving his side.
Touki filled the room, and she helped him return to life.
Thus, the night grew deeper…
****
[First Person Point of View]
My Jade Perception bloomed like a flower and I took note of everything in Tokyo. Nothing dangerous was going on nearby, and my house too was safe. We stood in the living room, and found Xenovia and Irina on the couch, sitting with Kalawana.
They were covered in dry sweat, they must be here to rest after training in the gym. I sensed my mother sleeping upstairs, as were Ruby and Asia. I'm glad they're alright.
Serafall and Yohtli fell on their butts on a couch, letting out heaves of breath, while Quetzalcoatl stretched her arms with a grin. She enjoyed the incident more than any.
"Milord, you're back already?" a voice greeted me, but it wasn't them. It was Blue, who was at the main gate all this time. She must have sensed my presence and came to see me.
"I have," I replied, walking over to a couch.
"That was fast," Irina said as she looked at me. It was nighttime, we left the house in the morning. It was indeed fast.
"Who is that in your hands?" Xenovia asked, looking at my Goddess while I gently placed her sleeping self on an empty couch.
"You guys reek, go take a shower," instead of answering her, I looked at her and said. She exchanged nervous glances with the other two and shrugged, before the three of them left, going to their respective rooms to take a shower.
"She smells like Divinity," Blue said as she approached me, tilting to the side to take a look at Galaxara from behind me.
"She is," I gently clasped my sleeping Goddess' face with a hand and said, "Can you bring Mom here? I'll need some assistance soon."
My adrenaline was calming down. The spell will catch up to the cheating anytime.
"Uh, sure-"
"Be quick, it's serious. I might die." I turned to look at her and she blankly stared at me. Blue turned around and ran like a bolt of lightning.
"Huh, w-what's going on now, Aqua?" Serafall didn't miss my words as she stood up from her couch.
"Be at ease, I'll be fine as long as mom is here," I said while Quetzalcoatl and Yohtli looked at me with a curious frown.
"I was about to ask you how you were hiding such powerful Magic, but I guess there must be a heavy price you have to pay for it," she said and I nodded, gulping.
I blinked. Did I just gulp? Shit. I ran a hand through my forehand, it was sweaty. My body's energy was growing violently inside me.
"Sensei," I looked at Quetzalcoatl, "When my Goddess wakes up, she'll be worried. Just tell her that I'll be fine. And accompany her if you can, as a fellow Goddess she might find you easy to talk to."
"Sure thing…" Quetzalcoatl's frown was growing worried. "Hey, are you alright?"
"Ah, yes, I'll be fine," I said, while Serafall looked at me with trembling eyes. I bit my lip and waited, and a minute later Mom walked down the stairs with a yawn. She wore a cute pair of pink pajamas, which brought a smile to my blue lips.
"You're back already? How was the tri-" she stopped when her eyes locked on my face. As a mother, she didn't miss my complexion. Then again, my whitened veins and bloodshot eyes weren't hard to miss. "Aqua, what's going on?!" she rushed over and held me by the shoulder, and I puked blood at her chest. "AQUA!"
The spell had caught on. My Qi was twisting inside me.
[The Spell of 'Greater Life Enjoyment' has been activated.]
Texts filled my vision, and I suddenly felt lightheaded. Fucking hell, why did I get such a spell installed again? Back then it seemed like a good decision, but now…
The notification continued, spamming my vision until I could only see white text, my ears drumming with the distant shouts of Mom.
[The Spell of 'Greater Life Enjoyment' has...]
[The Spell of 'Greater Life Enjoyment'...]
I had to ask for help right now, but my lips couldn't move. It was a struggle to even say a word, but I managed, "The…" I coughed, "The Empress… use her Wardrobe."
Good. I managed to say it. If it's mom, she'll find a way.
I hope I won't be passed out for too long.
[The Spell of 'Greater Life….]
[The Spell of 'Greater....]
[The Spell of....]
[The Spell....]
[The....]
[....]
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Author Note: Once again I beg for some good reviews. Since this was a pretty hype arc, I'm hoping many will shower this baby with well-deserved reviews.
As for Goals: I'll post 2 chapters tomorrow if we're Top 2, otherwise next chapter will be the day after since I'm trying to catch up to Patreon. So its either 2 or NULL. VOTE IF YOU DON'T WANT NULL!
Read the next chapter right away along with the next month's, on my Patreon.
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