Chapter 1222 - 525: The Girl Born at Dawn (Part 2)

Looking at the doomsday scenario, the girl gave a wry smile and raised her hand.

"...Alright, alright, I know you're powerful." she whispered hoarsely.

"—Then by now you should understand."

Hearing the voice beside her, the girl furrowed her brows.

Her exhausted body struggled to throw a straight punch, but she clenched her fist and sharply turned her head.

Yet, there was no one beside her.

The next moment, even though the entire world was shrouded in black and red, a sacred radiance pierced through the dark veil. A straight pillar of light descended from beyond the heavens, with endless feathers of light falling around it.

A voice filled with solemnity and mercy echoed through the apocalypse.

"Even though you have indeed achieved victory in reality, that was merely a chance occurrence caused by layers of luck, based on a precarious balance.

"However, as long as I am by your side, that victory can be transformed from chance to inevitability."

The Hero remained silent.

This silence seemed to become a kind of signal.

The next moment, the holy light illuminated the dark world, the four-winged angel broke the night, descending in the light pillar, as if it were the last hope.

He slowly descended, appearing before the Hero, extending his hand gently, coaxingly, towards the girl, palm upwards, fingers slightly spread.

"Even now, it's not too late. Kind, brave, and beautiful girl, put aside your prejudices and walk beside me."

Then—

"Hehehe..."

"Hahaha—"

"Kekekeke!"

Joyful laughter interrupted the Four-winged King's motion.

But it was not the Hero who laughed, nor any other survivor on the battlefield.

Instead, it came from the enormous Immortal Bird occupying a corner of the world.

At the heart of the Mountain Giant-like Corrupted Phoenix, amidst the flickering dazzling white radiance, a pitch-black silhouette emerged. Her outline was blurred, yet her slender figure could be discerned.

She clutched her belly, laughing heartily.

"...What's so funny? Oh, my Hero." The hand extended by the Four-winged King halted mid-air, a touch of confusion tinging his gentle tone,

"Though your personality is rebellious, you are not without wisdom. You should understand that I speak truth."

"Ah...I'm dying from laughter."

The shadow's shoulders shook violently, as if laughing to tears, she made a gesture as if wiping the corners of her eyes, and then sat down indifferently, crossing her legs, gazing at the Angel King who broke the sky to descend.

"You, you're just stupid beyond belief."

She spread her hands, casually pointing towards the apocalyptic world below, shrouded in death.

"Seeing all this, do you still not understand?"

"Understand what?" the Four-winged King asked.

"Understand that this world is destined to perish because of me!"

The Depraved Hero's voice was loud and clear, imbued with unabashed arrogance and delight.

"All destruction, all ending—the fire spark is me, the origin is me, the commencement is me.

"Delaying for a thousand years, preparing for a hundred years, it's all in vain.

"Even if in the end it's not me who destroys this world, the moment I decided to become the World's Enemy, it was bound for annihilation!"

She stood, pointing into the distance, at the life and civilization being devoured by Quyi.

"Pink-haired Chimera couldn't stop it, big-breasted cataract couldn't stop it, the four-winged Goblin, of course, couldn't stop it!

"This is the true destiny, the inevitable!

"But..."

The shadow at the heart of the Corrupted Phoenix moved her arm, extending a finger, directly pointing downward at a girl, grey-faced but unable to hide her helpless expression.

"—Only 'I' can offer a different choice.

"Not her who became the Swordsman, not her who became the Emperor, certainly not her who became the Mage.

"Only as 'me', she can allow this world to continue its existence!

"This world's dusk is me, naturally its dawn is also me, only I can choose this world's future!

"So, because I gave up on destroying this world, you all have a chance to survive! Do you understand, you idiot!"

The Hero looked at the other self, now oblivious to what's heaven and earth, rubbed her brow.

If she remembered correctly, at the beginning, she was merely supposed to be a curse...

But after all, it was she herself who chose to accept rather than eliminate her. So the Hero tugged at the corner of her mouth, choosing to maintain silence.

And the Four-winged King likewise did not speak, his eyes frozen in a ghostly glow, motionless.

"Why so silent, you were so talkative just now?" The Depraved Hero scoffed, hands on her hips, "Seems you finally understand too—You claim to guide humankind, save the world, but in fact, it's just the same whether you're around or not.

"The world I decide to destroy, you cannot save no matter how hard you try; and as long as I forsake that idea, the world is already saved."

She said loftily.

"If this realm plummeted into the Wreckage Tomb, the first line on the epitaph would surely read 'In a series of calamities led by the Corrupted Phoenix, this world met its end.'

"And as for you, even if your name appeared, it would only be something like 'a birdman with supernumerary wings attempted to defy destiny, only to be crushed instantly.'

"Honestly, don't you feel shame? In a stage that clearly doesn't even need you, stubbornly messing about, and thinking your role is so important, kekekeke!

"Right, you shameless rascal, it's no wonder you'd do something this stupid, Goblin.

"Why don't you be sensible and find a place to cut your own throat, at least that way you might die a bit more gracefully."

Listening to the bombardment of sneers from the Depraved Hero, even the Hero who bore only hostility for the Four-winged King couldn't help but slightly turn her head, attempting to avert her gaze from the scene.

"...Is that so."

When the Depraved Hero found it somewhat boring due to the lack of response from the other and finally stopped talking, the Four-winged King, who had been silently weathering the barrage, finally spoke slowly.

"—I do not believe."

He gave only that one sentence in response.

Then he lifted his head, the remaining three intact feather wings slightly unfurled, the black one particularly profound, like the initial chaos reflecting the universe's birth, like the vague and gentle darkness from when life first formed.

"It's I who save you humankind, who protect your birth."

"Your death won't be peaceful."

The Depraved Hero also didn't waste words, simply clenched her fist.

The Divine Body of the Corrupted Phoenix unleashed an unprecedented radiance, blinding white and utter black simultaneously surged forth, engulfing all in sight.

[Corrupted Phoenix advanced to R9: Unique Type]

[Entropy Silence Feather, Terminal Phoenix R9]

The Immortal Bird understood, its flapping wings would trigger the fate of all things' demise.

Just as the sun will eventually extinguish, the universe too shall decay.

He is the destined extinction, the inevitable fall, the eternal and only herald of doomsday.

The world's dusk comes because of him.

—Then, let's stir the storm of annihilation.

→☆→☆→☆→✧←★←★←★←

[Due to the Corrupted Phoenix understanding its uniqueness, the Hero's Phoenix Avatar has been enhanced, coefficient upgraded to R9-]

[The Hero has gained an Authority Factor (included in the skill's final effect)]

1~3. Chaos (random value fluctuation)

4~6. Constant (fixed output)

7~9. Adiabatic (completely closed system)

10. Great Success/Great Failure

D10=2

♛: Random Number