0p0 #157 - Section 157
#157 - Section 157
Tione's eyes widened instantly, her breath hitching in her throat. A jolt of pain, like a thunderbolt, ripped through her body, twisting her expression for a moment as a trickle of blood escaped her lips.
The force of that punch sent Wèi Gōng staggering backward, his feet dragging deep furrows in the ground as he struggled to maintain his balance.
However—
“Ais, step aside.”
Wèi Gōng said, reaching out to place a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Ais turned to look at Wèi Gōng, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Ais looked up, following Wèi Gōng's gaze to Tione in the distance.
She was now practically kneeling on the ground, saliva dribbling from her mouth.
Ais understood the unspoken words—
Not stealing prey is the most basic rule among adventurers.
He walked up to her, grabbed her disheveled hair, and yanked her roughly to her feet.
Without pausing, Wèi Gōng swung his fist, landing a heavy blow on her chest.
A flicker of pain crossed her eyes, but she stubbornly mustered all her strength to stand firm, bracing her weakened body, gritting her teeth as she returned a punch of her own.
Mutual attacks, one punch each—a simple and brutal fighting style, starkly illuminated by the moonlight.
Wèi Gōng's skill, amplified by the moonlight, reached its peak, each punch steadily replenishing his stamina. Theoretically, each heavy blow Tione received would unleash even more terrifying power.
He asked, “You’re awake?”
Hearing this, Tione's lips curved into a smile, radiant as a flower: “I’ve been… awake for a while now. You’re such a…desire-driven male.”
Tione staggered forward, her steps faltering, appearing to have completely lost her fighting strength.
She slowly raised her hand, reaching out to Wèi Gōng with all her might, gently tapping his chest.
This was her last strike. The immense force behind it sent Tione flying, slamming her into the ground, where she lost consciousness completely.
Dumbfounded, bewildered, questioning their existence, yearning… a tapestry of complex emotions played across everyone's faces.
“Ais, please, take Tione back.”
Wèi Gōng spat out a mouthful of blood, his voice slightly hoarse.
“I’m fine. My stamina and mental strength can still hold out.”
Before Wèi Gōng could respond, a sharp pain shot through his arm.
“What exactly is going on?”
Lǐ Wéi Lì Yà lowered her voice: “Explain everything when we get back!”
238
Chapter 238: Nightmare and Rebirth.
A constant ringing filled her ears, vibrating in her mind.
Tione's former residence, a small world enclosed by stone walls, trembled in response to the distant clamor.
The large, frigid, cell-like room reeked of decay, mold, and the sickening stench of rust.
Two cleavers lay discarded in the corner, their blades shimmering slightly in the shaking, as if waiting to be picked up again, waiting for their turn.
Light filtered through the crack under the door, glaring and unwelcome. Before her stood a heavy gate.
Countless spectators packed the stands, shouting at the top of their lungs, their voices echoing from all directions, thundering like a storm.
Enemies changed constantly, one after another, seemingly without end.
Roaring packs of white wolves, half-beastmen wielding clubs, dragons bound by iron chains…
Kill or be killed—this was Tione's homeland, the Amazonian domain, the maritime fighting nation of Teirsch Rukla.
When the last defeated foe collapsed powerlessly at her feet, the outcome of the battle was revealed, and the entire arena erupted like a burning sun.
Cheers, screams, roars… the surging emotions seemed to shake even the twilight sky.
The scene shifted constantly, the images interweaving.
Then came another scene, the female warrior who repeatedly appeared in her dreams, always knocking her to the ground, looking down at her, laughing.
And within that laughter and cheering, there were also muffled screams, splattering blood, and confused gazes.
Repeating time, again and again, the world faded, and everything became meaningless.
Those hands, stained with blood—
Then, through her blood-red hands, she saw her sister, her chest pierced by her own hands, eyes wide, collapsing before her.
In the next moment, the scene changed again, and the person lying on the ground became Tione herself.
She lay on her back on the cold ground, pain coursing through her entire body, her vision gradually blurring.
And holding the other end of the blade was her sister—Tiona.
The girl tilted her head slightly, the blade in her hand plunged deep into her older sister's abdomen, but her eyes remained devoid of any emotion.
Tiona's lips curved into a smile, a pure smile that was bewildering. Her cheeks were covered in deep red blood, droplets sliding down, reflected in her clear, innocent eyes.
Tione could feel her life rapidly ebbing away, yet a relieved smile spread across her lips.
Then, the scene before her shifted once more.
And she—stood amidst the powerless, fallen corpses, wearily lowering her head, weapon in hand, her eyes hollow.
She lifted her mask, facing the fallen enemy before her.
It was a woman she knew intimately—the one who had always taken care of her, treating her like a sister, even cherishing her like a daughter.
In that instant, the entire world collapsed.
At this moment, Tione felt true despair for the first time.
“Boom—”
Just then, a muffled roar echoed, as if something had suddenly crashed down.
Tione's body shook violently, and the world before her trembled.
Then, a heavy fist struck her again, the intense pain causing her to gasp sharply.
The massive impact briefly threw her off balance, causing her to stagger backward.
However, she also flew into a rage at that instant, fury burning in her eyes. Her fists came again like a storm, a heavy punch slamming mercilessly into Wei Gong's cheek.
Ais, wielding the power of wind, rushed forward swiftly, blocking Wei Gong. Her golden hair fluttered in the wind, and the sword in her hand was already raised, guarding in front of her.
Wei Gong noticed her hesitation and said, "This is what I promised Senior Finn, and..."
The girl, who had just been struck in the abdomen by Wei Gong, endured the pain with all her might, barely managing to throw that punch.
"You want to steal my 'prey'?"
Ais's hand holding the sword slowly lowered.
Wei Gong gently pushed Ais away, walking step by step towards Tione.
At that moment, the girl's eyes seemed somewhat dazed, accompanied by an expression of pain and exhaustion.
"Bang—"
A dull collision sound, Tione's body swayed slightly, almost falling down.
"Thud!"
The sound of a fist colliding with flesh was particularly clear in the silent night.
The two's battle—or rather, "exchange"—entered its final stage.
One side was a berserker whose attack power increased the more severely wounded they became; while the other was an existence even more insane than a berserker.
"Your fist... has become lighter."
Wei Gong said softly after taking a punch.
"Is your stamina failing? Or is it because you're too injured... Or perhaps..."
Her left cheek was completely swollen, her right eye was bruised and had temporarily lost its sight, and blood trickled constantly from her broken mouth, but her smile carried a sense of liberation and acceptance.
Just as she approached Wei Gong, she suddenly lost her balance, stumbled, and knelt on the ground.
Wei Gong's expression remained firm and calm. Without the slightest hesitation, he abruptly raised his arm and punched her in the side of the face.
At this moment, Loki Familia's adventurers had unknowingly gathered around, forming a circle, their eyes fixed on the battle between Wei Gong and Tione.
For a time, no one could speak, only silently watching this intense and frantic battle.
"Then what about you, Teacher?"
Ais asked subconsciously.
Wei Gong said.
At this time, Riveria also stepped forward, gently supporting Wei Gong, her voice soft: "You've worked hard."
He gasped, his gaze lowered, and he found Riveria's fingers tightly pinching his arm, without any mercy.
The vision swayed, blurry and indistinct.
Fierce shouts, deafening clamor, and the vibration of countless feet stomping on the ground, mixed together, constantly roared like a nightmare.
The window was small and narrow, blocked by iron bars, the blue sky and bright sunlight outside the window seemed distant and unattainable, as if forever isolated.
The vision switched, thrown into another scene.
The entrance to the arena, the mask that narrowed the field of vision pressed tightly against the face, that cold and oppressive sensation was always present.
Waving away the darkness, passing through that door, what greeted them was even more ferocious, even more frenzied shouts.
The double doors opened, the enemy appeared, the weapon in their hands was held tightly, knuckles white, without any hesitation, rushing towards the enemy.
And, more commonly, the girls of the same tribe.
The sound of steel colliding rang out in the arena, sparks flew, swords and halberds crossed, a scene of chaos.
Each time, it was always the enemy who fell, and the one standing in the victor's position was always their own exhausted legs.
In the stands, the figures of compatriots stood up one after another, and the female warriors let out fervent blessings.
The sky looked up to was always boundless red, as if dyed with the afterglow of blood.
The face of the goddess was blurred, she smiled like a flower, and that smile had a fascinating mysterious color.
The wild laughter echoed in their ears, mixed with the cheers of the audience, never stopping.
The blurred image was reflected on the surface of the radiant weapon, and those eyes, with the passage of time, became more and more blurred, gradually losing the light of life.
Inadvertently, their gaze fell on their own hands.
Blood soaked their fingers, slipped, shocking.
Tione's throat could not make a sound, just opened her mouth and watched silently, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Despair, fear, and pain rolled in her heart, but there was no way to vent it, and finally it converged into a silent roar, permeating in the endless red.
Lowering her head, she saw a long knife piercing her abdomen, the cold tip of the knife protruding from behind, deeply embedded in the flesh, blood dripping along the blade, staining the ground red.
Those eyes were still as pure as before, without any impurities, like an innocent child.
The girl's arm was raised, the blade was as light as a toy in her hand, and with her movements, the cold blade drew a cruel arc in the air.
However, the next moment, Tione's eyes were about to split.
In front of her, Tiona suddenly turned the blade, the girl aimed it at her own neck, and stabbed it down with a smile.
Returning to the arena again, that familiar scene, surrounded by countless spectators raising their hands, the deafening shouts filled the entire arena.
Then, they saw a familiar face.
Her face was haggard, but with a gentle smile, her hands were open, like when she comforted herself every time when she was a child, hugging herself like a mother.
The strength in her whole body seemed to be drained in an instant, the weapon slipped from her hand, making a dull sound, tears slipped from her eyes, blending into the blood-soaked sand.
Those scenes—the stone prison-like room, the huge arena, that cruel teacher who knocked her to the ground, the senior who took care of her like a mother, the goddess with a deep smile, and her sister Tiona, whose eyes were full of innocence—their figures blurred for a moment.