Chapter 1800: Husband And Wife Reunited
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TRUUUM!
A shockwave of divine spiritual power and Mana slammed Shade into the ground, causing him to crash onto the stone floor inside the cave and shatter it. The pressure intensified as he gritted his teeth in disbelief.
"W-What is this?! How is it possible for her to return from complete extermination?! Is that Divine Blessing so strong?!" Shade asked.
"I feared the worst, and yet she surprises me once more...!" Vulcan said.
"You know what’s happening?!" Shade asked, his eyes betraying slight desperation.
"A third of us must have died. That power alone enabled her to elevate her divine abilities further... So Mother never cared about us. She was the only one she cared about. She’s now akin to a divine being!" Vulcan muttered, his fear growing.
"Like her mother?!"
"Not entirely, but perhaps similar...! She has absorbed, stacked, and assimilated our Divine Blessings and Divine Spiritual Power, further elevating herself. The divine protection, which shouldn’t have revived her after that, has grown stronger, allowing her to do so...!"
"This is the first time I’ve fought another hero, let alone one with such ridiculous power... Is this how the Demon King felt when we fought him, I wonder?"
Shade rose slowly, his Aura enveloping his body as he resisted the pressure. The Saintess had fully emerged from her hole, revealing herself. Enveloped in golden flames, she had grown stronger through death and rebirth.
"Gaze upon my near perfection! Three Divine Blessings have returned to me, as per Mother’s plans! My body and mind are being forged into the perfect Saintess, her ideal Hero, her flawless daughter! Together, we shall conquer this world. It shall be ours!"
As she laughed, she extended her six blazing arms. Her exoskeleton now shimmered in clear red, orange, and yellow hues, while a veil, or rather a dress and armor of golden flames, enveloped most of her body. Long, hair-like flames cascaded from her head, rendering her both more insectoid and monstrous yet strangely more feminine. She was evolving far beyond the limits of a giant blazing ant, her mother’s experiments finally yielding results.
"Once I become a queen for Mother, I shall produce the strongest children. My eggs will hatch into mighty soldiers and warriors, their power unmatched as they carry our divine abilities! It is time for you mortals to face extinction! HAHAHAHAHA!"
Her laughter grew louder as she pointed her claws at Shade. Hundreds of red, orange, and yellow magic circles materialized around him in an instant. His eyes glowed bright red as he reacted, attempting to evade them...
And yet...
"I can’t move?!"
He realized his Shadow Exchange Spell wasn’t activating...
"I have already deciphered your power. You exchange shadows, right? I’ve made sure no shadows exist around you. The endless light prevents any darkness from seeping in!"
Smiling, she raised her claws skyward, clenching her hands with sharp nails as golden flames erupted from them.
"NOW BURN."
The magic circles blazed brightly, activating in rapid succession. Shade shielded himself, attempting to retreat into his Shadows to mitigate the damage, but he couldn’t escape in time!
"Master!"
Vulcan panicked, but it was too late. Golden flames engulfed everything.
BOOOMMM!!!
Shade faced a sea of golden flames rushing toward him. He distorted space, attempting to conjure a dimensional void barrier, and...
It was too late. The flames would consume him regardless!
"I’ll have to take this and—"
TRUUUM!
In that moment, his eyes widened.
Amid the sea of golden flames, a striking woman with long black hair and sharp emerald eyes appeared.
Her fists shattered the hundreds of magic circles, unleashing a shockwave more powerful than any punch Shade could deliver, dispersing the flames entirely.
"Nepheline!"
"Sorry for being late, honey! Looks like that bitch almost got you."
"Not at all. I would’ve survived either way... but thank you. Regenerating from that would have drained my Mana significantly."
"Alright! What do we have here then?"
Husband and wife reunited, Nepheline and Shade unleashed their Auras at 50% power, shaking the surroundings and the entire nest, as if an earthquake had erupted across the Dry Steppes.
RUMBLE!
The Saintess gritted her mandibles in fury, glaring at the two human heroes. The woman she believed her muscular brother had defeated had survived.
"You damn...! You’re alive?!" she asked furiously. "How is that possible?! I thought my brother took you down with him!"
"Hahahaha! Don’t make me laugh. That chump? He couldn’t even inflict enough damage to scratch me beyond a few minor wounds," Nepheline laughed, uncrossing her arms and manifesting her Divine Soul Weapon, Atlas, a mighty hammer crafted of stone, metal, and crystals.
"Master, I’m glad you survived!" Vulcan emerged through Shade’s soul aura, catching Nepheline’s attention.
"Wait, is this the guy you fought?" Nepheline raised an eyebrow. "No way, you actually turned him into your Undead?!"
"I made him a Spectral Spirit," Shade explained. "My soul has grown stronger, providing enough space for another contract. You could likely do the same. You know contracting a powerful familiar can exponentially enhance our growth and strength, right?"
"I know... I planned to find something powerful eventually," Nepheline said, smiling. "But I guess you beat me to it, honey~! Anyway, I hope this ant is decent to you."
"He was an honorable warrior, which is why I chose him," Shade said. "Now, this Saintess... you can sense how powerful she is, right?"
"I detect several divine blessings stacked within her soul... which appears strange and warped. What in the world is she?" Nepheline wondered.
"A monster, without a doubt," Shade sighed. "We need to use at least half our power, or this battle will never end."
"Agreed," Nepheline nodded, smirking. "Alright, princess, ready for the thrashing of your life?"
"You talk as if you’ve already won! Using only half your power? Are you still underestimating me after my ascension?! I’LL BURN YOU TO A CRISP, HUMANS!"
The queen roared, her aura surging with power. The same butterfly from before appeared, but not alone—dozens of massive Divine Spiritual Beast Embodiments emerged simultaneously.
"{Divine Spiritual Beast Aura Embodiment}: {Golden Flame Butterfly Swarm}!"
As the butterflies descended swiftly, Shade and Nepheline countered with their formidable Auras and Divine Soul Weapons.
"Let’s do this, honey!"
"I’ve got your back."
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