Chapter 839 - 407: A Complete Person
The younger sister put her hands on her hips and said, "This time going to the City of Crafts was Mom and Dad’s idea, discussed with Mut, to prepare a coming-of-age gift for you and celebrate your birthday."
"Ah, ah?"
"You always think that when you cause trouble, we will hate you. But really, we won’t. They said they wanted to surprise you. I thought that wasn’t so great, what if you thought we wanted to ditch you and play around? Ah, why are you crying? Hey, hey, don’t cry. Dear, our family is so strapped for cash, going off the island to play is such a luxury, don’t cry. Just wait for us to come back properly.
"We will definitely throw you a proper birthday party!"
Despite being much younger, she often acts more like an older sister than I do, so mature for her age and much better than me.
I should remember, right before the flames engulfed everything, I left home to buy ingredients so I could cook a meal for you when you returned.
"Why did I forget such an important thing?"
"It’s not your fault. Reborn as the undead, forgetting many things is normal," Li Ang said.
Othella, crying, bent down and held tightly the Durger Clan’s family photo.
"The Durger Clan? Could it be that the clan is actually led by Othella’s little sister? A whole family taking the matriarch’s surname?" Dorothy said softly, as she had watched where the old lady sat and how the people around her showed respect.
"Probably," Li Ang said.
"It’s truly remarkable. Despite Othella appearing so old, her sister has lived a brilliant life already," ALulu said quietly.
"The one constant is she has always remembered this elder sister," Li Ang raised his voice slightly.
He continued speculating, "By the time they came back, Lupus Island was already consumed by lava. At the initial disaster, everyone must have been evacuating. As ordinary people, they couldn’t have survived on an island turning into a purgatory."
"Didn’t they go back later?" Zoe asked.
"Their home was on the island, and the disaster took all their family savings. Their priority was to settle in a new place and live stably, which is a real issue. Maybe they came back looking, maybe they didn’t find anything. It’s hard to tell, but since Mort went out of his way to come, it at least proves that the Durger Clan matriarch still longs for her homeland and sister. Otherwise, how would Mort know about Lupus?"
Li Ang rubbed his forehead, "I think that lady considered Othella already deceased. Otherwise, Mort wouldn’t have been the only one to come. He might not even know why he came, then discovered Othella and started scheming."
"A complete failure in the end," Farina said while smiling, shattering a large mass of falling lava with a Dragon Flame Fireball.
"Exactly. So he placed his hope on me... on us. And as for this photo, it seems to be an afterthought."
Li Ang sighed, "He thought that perhaps directly showing Othella a photo would work better, but regretted the rushed contact before, hence why he warned me about those things."
"Anyway," Li Ang gazed at Othella, who lifted her head to meet his eyes, "there are people in this world who still think about you. Hopefully, you understand that."
"Yes, sorry, I suddenly... understand."
The young girl slowly stood up, to the amazement of those around her, as both the change in her magic’s fluctuations and her spirituality gave off a different feeling from before.
"Sorry, Mesa, Sina, Yuri, and everyone. I’ve been too stubborn before."
Othella gave the Fire Spirit Maidens a smile, also smiling at the members of the Star Flower Travel Corps.
"Thank you, Mr. Li Ang. Thank you, everyone. I want to see Anala. Although I don’t know what I want to do in the future, or what I can do, it seems I’ve suddenly felt everyone’s expectations and love for me. Thank you. Thank you to all those who have helped me. I’ll try to figure it out."
Li Ang nodded inwardly. Her previous personality was indeed Othella’s own, but what distinguishes the undead from the living is their inability to change, eternally repeating the state they were in before death.
He had been uncertain whether Othella could change, but the photo left by Mort proved useful even if it was just the right timing.
The half-ethereal Purgatory Spirit maiden received remnants of the Star Soul’s light, gaining vitality, then awakened sealed memories through the call, breaking free from the heavy shell fate had once imposed.
She fully crafted her humanity. She... became whole.
Being human means she can be afraid, but because she’s human, she also summons courage.
From this moment, she doesn’t need to rely solely on her deepest subconscious desires to support her actions. She can actively try and strive for new things.
A group of small fire beings exchanged glances, their faces radiating joy. They all pounced on the beast-eared maiden and then melted into her body.
Subsequently, their fiery light stretched out behind the girl, once again becoming her fiery cloak, as more power set her eyes and hair ablaze with a crimson hue.
Heat radiated; beyond the warmth of the flames, the burn conveyed the ignition of emotions named courage.
Yes, privately, let’s first call this state Courage Form.
Maybe responding to feelings rising from deep within, perhaps supported by the heartfelt connection with Purgatory Spirits, at this moment, Othella no longer resembled a timid little mouse, but a spiritually active archer.
"Everyone, let me fight alongside you."
"Yeah!" Zoe, ALulu, Dorothy, and others responded in unison.
An was missing from the response because she was steering the ship behind them.
"Ready!" An’s pale white hair clung to her face with sweat, as she maneuvered the Eternal Summer to dodge the Abnormality’s pursuit. Yet, at this moment, the attack was closing in relentlessly.
But the maze of lava pillars summoned in its initial display of explosive force had almost reached its end.
"We’re out, can we speed away now?!" Dorothy shouted while grasping the sturdy handle tightly.
"No need to run."
Li Ang steadied himself with one hand on the handle, looking at the team members: "It doesn’t deserve it."
The exhausted power couldn’t even fully harness Lupus’ Fire Element. Its power couldn’t even reach half of the Destruction Battleship’s level.
Keeping stable with his feet, Li Ang took the Magic Staff from his back, pointing it at the Abnormality formed by the fusion of Demon and Star Soul Power: "Ram forward."
Anara executed Li Ang’s order without a second thought. The Eternal Summer’s engine roared, immediately piercing the fiery red-cloud-covered sky, fully activating all skills, including the ramming horn and the ship’s figurehead. The bright red ramming horn precisely targeted the Abnormality’s chest.
The Orichalcum Staff’s tip touched the deck as Li Ang spread magic power throughout the ship, activating its spirituality. Thunderous roars erupted at the stern from the over-driven engine, but the sound soon couldn’t keep up with the speed of the Eternal Summer.
This was Othella’s first time witnessing such a situation, caught off guard, but ALulu held onto her. Xiaoniu’s brute force kept the beast-eared maiden steady on the deck, while the Purgatory Spirits peeked from the cloak, marveling at the flying airship’s explosive acceleration.
The scorching whirlwind shattered layers of the ice shield wrapping the ship, while the Ancient Abyss Crocodile Dragon used its strong limbs to stabilize Livi and Meimei as they cast spells, while Farina enhanced the Water Demon Dragon with Dragon Blood Enhancement, enabling it to extract more Water Elements.
"Send your Demon-Born Flower support to me," Li Ang turned to Dorothy, who was tethered to the connecting rod by Flower Vine.
The half elf’s face distorted by the wind made it hard to respond, but the verdant mini Natural Vine had already targeted him, bestowing the gift of the Flower of Nature upon him.
Siphoning and Nature’s Pursuit Damage were in place.
Then came ALulu—