Chapter 946 - Who Dares!
Two dark blurs tore across the battlefield, the sound of their collisions echoing nonstop. Dark-attribute abilities were severely weakened on Paradise Island, but for Han Wu even a ten percent boost from the Shade Jurisdiction was enough to tip the scales.
After an intense exchange, Han Wu landed a devastating Collapsing Fist that caved the masked guard’s chest. The Microcosm fighter died on the spot.
Han Wu didn’t kick the corpse away. Instead, he reached down and pulled the cloth from the guard’s face. His pupils contracted sharply. The masked guard was Huang Shengjun, the same man who had escaped from his divine realm!
Han Wu flung the corpse aside, wary that Huang Shengjun would suddenly revive and launch a surprise attack. At the same time, a question nagged at him. The Butcher had possessed Huang Shengjun to escape Han Wu’s divine realm through endless self-detonation fueled by consuming lives. Was this the Butcher’s corpse, or was it actually Huang Shengjun’s?
He kept a careful eye on the corpse, but there was no reaction. He also received a notification for a Sacrifice harvest. That confirmed that Huang Shengjun was dead.
Yet Huang Shengjun was supposed to have 16.3 billion lives. How could he have been killed so easily? Something didn’t add up.
Han Wu looked at Elina. She had to know the truth.
Elina had also seen the guard’s face, and she was just as shocked. She hadn’t expected one of her escorts to be the senior student Huang Shengjun.
If this one was Huang Shengjun, then who are the others? Elina beckoned, and two more masked guards answered her call. She pulled the coverings from their faces, and the sight made her gasp.
Both of them were Huang Shengjun. Three Huang Shengjun had existed simultaneously.
Elina recalled that the Light Faction had recently gained a mysterious guard force numbering more than 10,000, with each member at the Microcosm rank. Were they all Huang Shengjun?
The thought was staggering. She didn’t want to believe it, but the evidence literally stood right before her.
Han Wu fell into deep thought. Three Huang Shengjun were bizarre enough. Before entering Paradise Island, he had also seen a checkpoint guarded by over a dozen masked figures. The other checkpoints likely had similar deployments.
Could every single one of those guards be Huang Shengjun? He felt his head spin. Did I stumble into a nest of Huang Shengjuns? Even Avatar Creation isn’t this absurd.
“Elina, what exactly is going on?” he demanded.
Elina was still trying to make sense of it herself and had no interest in explaining anything to Han Wu. She did realize one thing, though. The advantage was still hers.
She pointed at the two Huang Shengjuns beside her. “Take him down.”
The two Huang Shengjuns charged, both erupting with Microcosm power. Having fought one already, Han Wu knew their attack patterns. He exploited the gaps in their coordination, slipped through their pincer attacks, and lunged straight at Elina.
The Radiant Ministers scrambled to fire a desperate volley, but nothing could stop Han Wu from seizing Elina by the throat.
With the hostage in his grasp, the Radiant Ministers and the two Huang Shengjuns froze. Only Jia Gui, who had just dragged himself out of the crater with injuries that were still healing, shouted, “Han Wu, be gentle! You’re hurting her!”
Han Wu found Jia Gui’s concern for the enemy absurd, but it didn’t stop him from pressing Elina for answers. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Shadow Energy coiled around Elina like invisible ropes, tightening until they bit into her skin.
“I’ll never tell you. Kill me if you want. The Light Faction will avenge me!” Elina rasped through her constricted throat.
She suddenly turned toward the Radiant Ministers and the two Huang Shengjuns. “Ignore me! Kill him!”
At her command, the Radiant Ministers and the other units started charging Light Energy. Meanwhile, the two Huang Shengjuns rushed forward once more.
Han Wu snorted and shoved Elina directly into his shadow space. He wasn’t worried about her escaping. More than a dozen former Dark Faction members were inside. Restraining her wouldn’t be a problem.
Forced back into battle, Han Wu now faced two Huang Shengjuns at once. On the other side, the Radiant Ministers shifted tactics and bombarded him with concentrated light beams to create openings. Fortunately, the thick layer of shadow armor woven from the Shade Jurisdiction absorbed the weak light attacks without issue.
Eventually, the noise of the battle drew the attention of nearby Major Gods, who arrived with their units and masked guards in tow. They saw Han Wu fighting two Huang Shengjuns and noticed that Elina was nowhere to be found.
A Radiant Minister hurried over, explained the situation, and pointed at Han Wu.
“You kidnapped the Light Faction’s Holy Maiden? You must be tired of living,” a Major God roared. His units and masked guards joined the fight.
The number of Huang Shengjuns Han Wu had to contend with jumped from two to five. Five Microcosm Huang Shengjuns working in perfect coordination was more than he could handle. He was quickly pinned to the ground.
In the distance, Jia Gui activated his Concealment Jurisdiction and vanished. Hidden from sight, he desperately searched for a way to save Han Wu.
“Hand over Holy Maiden Elina!” the Major God bellowed.
More Light Faction Major Gods continued converging on the area.
Han Wu knew with certainty that if he didn’t unleash his true power, he would die there. If he died, everyone sheltered by the Shade Jurisdiction would die with him. He had no other option.
He released Replicate, and the Shade Jurisdiction dissolved. The former Dark Faction members materialized, and Elina appeared among them, bound with ropes from condensed Divine Points, leaving her unable to fight.
The arriving Major Gods took in the scene with a mixture of delight and alarm. They were delighted because so many Dark Faction stragglers remained to be captured. At the same time, they were alarmed because Elina was in their hands. She was the Light God King’s most treasured descendant. If their rash actions got her killed, they couldn’t bear the consequences.
“Forget about me! Kill them!” Elina shrieked despite her bindings.
A former Dark Faction member punched her square in the head and knocked her unconscious.
The shouting stopped, yet the Light Faction Major Gods had already received her command.
“For the Daughter of Light! Kill these Dark Faction scum!”
Every Light Faction unit surged forward. Every masked guard unleashed their Microcosm power, ready to slaughter their enemies.
Then a steady, commanding voice cut through the chaos and reached every ear on the battlefield. “Who dares!”
It was Han Wu, his full strength finally unleashed.