Chapter 200

200: Turning Point

"Jasmine!"

Just ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍as Jasmine's authority activated, Evelia, who was clinging to Moxylunea's body, happened to witness the moment of her death.

Evelia ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gritted her teeth, feeling an inexplicable rage violently churning in her heart. Moxylunea beneath her also sensed her princess's anger and immediately let out a furious roar. Overwhelming dragon might spread outward with her as the center.

"ROAR!!"

Then, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a miraculous scene occurred. The world that had been rotating infinitely came to a halt, returning to its previous normal state. The cross-shaped longswords, which had seemed inexhaustible, also stopped firing and returned to the ocean.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Domain technique had been interrupted.

"Magic Chaos..."

Zophi's figure reemerged in midair. His face was somewhat pale, and his gaze toward Moxylunea now carried a trace of wariness.

The mental magic [Magic Chaos] was a special magic that forcibly interrupted an opponent's casting process through mental shock. It shared similarities with the [Magic Seal] that Zophi had previously used on Jasmine.

But compared to [Magic Seal], since [Magic Chaos] operated on the principle of mental shock, if the opponent's mental power was high enough, they could very likely withstand [Magic Chaos] and continue casting magic. The high-tier magic [Magic Seal] did not have this issue, as it directly targeted the opponent's magic circuits.

Given Zophi's mental power, a trick-level magic like [Magic Chaos] should have had no effect on him. But the problem was that the one casting Magic Chaos was Moxylunea, a high-ranking dragon.

The dragon might naturally possessed by the Dragon Race had an innate suppressive effect on other races. Dragon roars carried extremely powerful mental shock effects. And Moxylunea was an adult high-ranking dragon, making her dragon might and roar even more powerful. This was how she managed to forcibly interrupt Zophi's Domain technique by combining dragon might with Magic Chaos.

Of course, her success also had something to do with Zophi's mental condition being less than optimal after casting multiple large-scale spells.

"Miss Jasmine!"

However, compared to Zophi, who had temporarily ceased his attack due to wariness of Magic Chaos, Evelia and Amya's attention was now completely drawn to Jasmine, whose life hung by a thread on the sea surface. Evelia was so worried about not reaching Jasmine in time to treat her that she didn't even wait for Moxylunea to land. She leaped directly from the dragon's back to Jasmine's side.

But when she hurried over, wanting to use her extremely special healing technique on Jasmine, she discovered in horror that Jasmine's vital points had already been pierced by blades. Her heart had been destroyed on the spot, completely eliminating any possibility of recovery.

And Lina, whom she had tightly protected beneath her body, now had eyes filled with agony and despair. She raised her hand in disbelief, but all that met her was Jasmine's already cold body.

"Jasmine... don't scare me..."

"Please, wake up, okay?"

"I'll never be angry with you again. I'll agree to whatever you want, just please..."

"Please... don't, don't go..."

Crystal tears continuously slid from the corners of Lina's eyes. Ignoring the blades piercing through Jasmine's body, she forcibly pulled her into her embrace and wailed loudly.

"We finally learned the truth, finally found the courage to face the past again. Why, why did you have to..."

Sharp sword tips pierced Lina's tender skin, but she seemed to feel nothing. The deeper the blades cut, the tighter she held on.

But as if Jasmine's spirit in heaven didn't want Lina to hurt herself like this, Jasmine's remains suddenly "melted" with a soft sound into a pool of Black Mud. It quickly merged into the ocean below, gradually diluting and dispersing.

"No, no..."

Lina reacted dully. She began frantically trying to stop those Black Mud clumps, completely disregarding the risk of being corrupted by them. But every clump of Black Mud formed from Jasmine's melted body seemed to possess intelligence, deftly avoiding Lina's hands at just the right moments.

As the last clump of Black Mud merged into the sea, in the end, nothing remained.

"Don't leave me..."

Lina knelt on the ground in a daze. Her eyes were hollow and sorrowful, like a puppet that had lost its soul.

"Lina..."

Evelia felt a pang in her heart watching Lina like this. She wanted to offer some words of comfort, but didn't know what to say.

For a moment, sorrow and anger filled everyone's hearts.

Except for one person.

"Something isn't right."

Zophi frowned slightly. The authority of [Fate] had told him that no one would die in this trial. This was why he had dared to freely unleash various high-tier magics, including divine miracles.

As he had said, the trajectory of [Fate] had long been anchored and could not change.

And the power that could break established [Fate], the complete Holy Spear [Longinus], was not in his hands at all.

That princess from Hell clearly hadn't reached that level either. Otherwise, [Genesis] wouldn't have taken effect at all.

Yet the facts were laid out before him. Jasmine was undoubtedly dead.

Not an illusion, not a disguise. His eyes could see through all falsehoods, so he knew very well.

Jasmine was dead.

"But there's still something not quite right."

"Why did her remains melt into Black Mud?"

This phenomenon hadn't occurred in previous experiments. Other test subjects retained relatively intact bodies after death, allowing Descent Faction researchers to find the causes of experimental failure from the remains.

But Jasmine was definitely dead. As her biological father, Zophi could feel that fleeting tremor from deep within his bloodline just moments ago.

Wait. Among the authorities involved in Death Magic, was there...

Zophi suddenly realized something. Without hesitation, he immediately raised the Spear of Longinus to guard in front of him.

The next moment, a pitch-black alien greatsword appeared without warning, instantly striking the body of the Spear of Longinus.

"Clang!"

The crisp sound of metal colliding immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Jas... mine?"

The instant she saw that pitch-black figure, Evelia froze in disbelief, her eyes widening.

Yes. The person who had suddenly appeared and sought out Zophi with blinding speed was none other than Jasmine, who should have been dead.

But at this moment, she had completely changed her previously steady fighting style. Instead, she fought like a madman who had abandoned all concern for defense, recklessly launching a storm of continuous strikes at Zophi.

"Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang!!!"

Scarlet light bloomed in Jasmine's pupils. A Möbius strip-shaped eerie rune flickered within them.

Her offensive this time was extremely fierce. Every strike aimed for vital points. And because she had abandoned defense, her attack speed had been greatly enhanced.

To onlookers, they could no longer accurately capture the form of the Pitch-Black Sword in her hand. They could only see countless flashes of blade light blooming in the air.

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