Emperor's Reckoning

Chapter 1236: Stop

Lumina’s eyes were wide with tension as her instincts took over. Her pupils reflected the giant mass of rock at the center of the canyon. Smaller beasts, utilizing their agility, darted toward the rock, driven by an irresistible force. Every cell in her body urged her forward, compelling her to approach the mysterious rock. Overwhelmed by the primal call, her body moved with a graceful determination, gliding effortlessly through the air.

But she was not alone. Other beasts, drawn by the same force, surged forward. Those with wings flew, those with legs ran, all converging toward the center of the canyon.

"Your Majesty, she’s incredibly fast," said Yoji, his voice tinged with urgency.

"Hahaha, Little Yoji," Lyon chuckled, a confident smile playing on his lips. "We are faster."

With a sudden burst of speed, the Tetragram Chariot flashed through the air, positioning itself parallel to Lumina. Lyon reached out with an insurmountable force, gripping her shoulder and pulling her into the chariot.

"There, there," Lyon murmured, holding her tightly. But Lumina struggled in his arms, like a fish out of water.

"Lyon, please!" she pleaded, her voice a mix of desperation and instinct.

Lyon pulled Lumina close, their faces inches apart, her breath coming in short, desperate gasps. He leaned in, pressing his lips against hers in a desperate attempt to ground her, to bring her back from the edge of madness. For a fleeting moment, time seemed to pause, the chaos of the canyon fading into the background.

But Lumina’s body remained tense, her eyes still wild with instinctual frenzy. She broke away, her gaze unfocused, the primal call still strong within her.

Lyon sighed, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation. "I was hoping it would work," he muttered.

Just then, Fenrir jumped out from his robes, a small but fierce bundle of energy. Lyon swiftly caught him with one hand, his grip firm but gentle.

"LYON!" Lumina’s voice was a furious growl, her eyes blazing with both anger and desperation.

Lyon looked at her, his expression softening despite the intensity of the situation. "If you remember today," he said, his voice calm yet firm, "please remember the cause of this punch."

Before Lumina could react, Lyon delivered a precise, controlled punch, knocking both her and Fenrir unconscious. Their bodies went limp in his arms, their struggles finally ceasing.

"Little Yoji," Lyon called out to the chariot driver, "bring these two back to a safe distance. And also tell the other five that they are to finish the basilisk off and not to worry about me. I will enter the center of the canyon alone."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yoji replied without hesitation, expertly swerving the chariot as Lyon carefully placed Lumina and Fenrir onto it.

With a final glance at his companions, Lyon leaped off the chariot, his body moving with fluid grace. He landed on the back of a nearby giant kunpeng, its feathers shimmering under the canyon’s harsh light. The beast let out a powerful cry but did not resist Lyon’s presence.

As Lyon stood on the kunpeng’s back, he surveyed the chaotic scene below. Beasts of all kinds were converging toward the center of the canyon, driven by an insatiable hunger for the mysterious fruit. The ground trembled with their collective force, the air thick with tension.

Lyon’s eyes narrowed with determination. He knew the path ahead was fraught with danger, but he also knew that he had to press on. With a deep breath, he urged the kunpeng forward, its wings beating powerfully as they soared toward the heart of the canyon.

"Auuuuuuu!!!" A howl pierced the air, powerful and resonant, reaching up to the sun itself. The entire kingdom seemed to pause, the sound echoing through every corner. In the royal palace, the king, queen, and their children froze, their daily activities abruptly halted. In the city, bustling streets fell silent, and even the fish in the ponds stopped moving, captivated by the primal call.

Out in the canyon, Lyon’s companions and the mighty basilisk ceased their movements, each one caught in the spell of the howl.

Sun appeared first, a smirk playing on his lips. "What a show off," he commented.

"That’s him alright," Rui sighed, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Minx shrugged nonchalantly. "I can make a better presentation, but heck."

Bapho’s smile was wide and approving. "As always, righteous and madness."

Muspell nodded in agreement. "Never cease to amaze."

Shen, ever observant, remarked, "He has been watching the Tempest Fruit it seems. Lyon, we must fetch the dog."

Lyon, still airborne on the back of the kunpeng, grinned as his eyes caught sight of a black canine scaling the massive rock at the canyon’s center. The beast’s fur was dark as night, muscles rippling with every powerful leap. Lyon’s heart quickened, the thrill of the chase and the impending confrontation setting his blood on fire.

The black canine, an awe-inspiring creature, stood atop the massive rock at the canyon’s center. Its fur was a dark, glossy black, absorbing the light around it and creating an almost ethereal shadow. Muscles rippled beneath its sleek coat, every movement exuding power and grace.

But the most striking feature of this formidable beast was the nine golden suns adorning its skin. These suns glowed with a radiant, otherworldly light, each one perfectly circular and intricately detailed, as if they had been etched by a divine hand. They were scattered across its body, shimmering against the black fur like celestial tattoos. The suns pulsed with a rhythmic energy, their golden light casting an eerie glow on the surrounding terrain.

The canine’s eyes were a deep, piercing yellow, burning with an intensity that spoke of both intelligence and primal ferocity. As it moved, the golden suns seemed to shift and shimmer, creating an almost hypnotic effect. Its paws, large and clawed, left deep imprints in the ground with each step, and its presence commanded respect and fear from all who beheld it.

"Time to move," Lyon muttered to himself, urging the kunpeng forward. The creature responded with a mighty beat of its wings, propelling them toward the heart of the canyon where the Tempest Fruit awaited.

Tiangou’s once majestic form now lay weak and trembling on the sunlit rock. The mighty canine’s breaths were shallow, and his body quivered with exhaustion. The nine golden suns on his skin, once radiant, had dimmed to a mere flicker, casting a feeble light. His eyes, a deep yellow, were half-closed, heavy with fatigue as he gazed at the Tempest Fruit behind him. The fruit was an anomaly in nature—a perfect, textureless black sphere the size of an adult hand, hanging from a pure white stem.

He could hear the stampede of beasts, their growls and roars blending into a cacophony of impending chaos. Yet, he could only muster the strength to lift his head slightly, his gaze fixating on the fruit that had drawn so many to this perilous chase.

Tiangou laid his head back down, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on his fur, his golden eyes narrowing as they fought to stay open. His vision blurred, the edges of the world darkening.

"Ah, little boy," he murmured, his voice a rasping whisper. "Would you believe it? I’m going to die as a ghost."

"Uncle TIANGOU!!!" The shout pierced through the noise of the canyon, echoing with desperate urgency.

Tiangou’s ears twitched at the sound, a weak smile forming on his lips. "Huh... heh... looks like you’re calling. Wait for me..." he whispered, his voice trailing off as he surrendered to the darkness, his consciousness slipping away.

The horde of beasts surged forward, their focus solely on the Tempest Fruit. But in that crucial moment, the shout had not only reached Tiangou but also stirred something in the air—a promise of salvation, a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.

The canyon was a maelstrom of chaos, filled with the deafening roars of beasts and the tremors of the earth itself. Tiangou’s ears twitched at the cacophony, momentarily pulling him back from the brink of unconsciousness. His vision was blurry, but he could just make out a figure standing defiantly against the tide of monstrous attackers.

"No time for sleep, Tiangou!" The voice of Shen, the True Dragon, boomed from above. His majestic form, with whiskers trailing like wisps of cloud, hovered protectively over the Meteor Dog.

"Huh?" Tiangou’s eyes struggled to refocus, his vision sharpening to reveal the scene unfolding before him.

Lyon stood at the forefront of the battle, a whirlwind of destruction amidst the horde. His movements were a deadly dance, precise and powerful. Each strike was a testament to his might, reducing Kunpeng, Wyrms, Hydras, and Bahamuts to lifeless heaps. Blood stained his robes and face, but his resolve was unshaken. His eyes burned with determination, a fiery contrast to the cold efficiency of his attacks.

The beasts came in waves, relentless and innumerable, yet none could breach the invisible barrier Lyon had created around the Tempest Fruit. Every attempt to reach the enticing prize was met with swift and lethal retaliation. Lyon’s fists, feet, and sheer presence seemed to tear through the very fabric of the air, leaving destruction in his wake. One to three hits were all it took for any creature to fall, and still, they kept coming.

Tiangou’s heart stirred at the sight. Despite the overwhelming odds, Lyon’s indomitable spirit shone through. The man was a force of nature, an unyielding guardian standing between the fruit and the ravenous horde.

"Uncle Tiangou!" Lyon’s voice carried over the din of battle, filled with urgency and determination. "Stay with me! We’ll get through this!"

The Meteor Dog’s vision blurred again, but this time with tears. A surge of warmth filled his chest as he realized he wasn’t alone. With a final, labored breath, he forced his eyes open, determined to stay awake, to witness the battle that could very well decide their fates.

Above, Shen’s fierce gaze met Tiangou’s. "Fight, Tiangou," he urged. "For the sake of this world, fight."

Summoning the last vestiges of his strength, Tiangou’s body trembled as he tried to rise. The scene before him was a storm of blood and fury, yet in the eye of that storm was Lyon, unwavering and unstoppable. And in that moment, Tiangou knew they had a chance—a slim, desperate chance to protect the Tempest Fruit and, perhaps, to survive.

"Goddamnit," muttered Tiangou, his voice gravelly and strained. "I thought I was deader than dead, extra death. But you sure came at the right time."

Lyon’s eyes widened mid-fight, catching Tiangou’s words. His irises glowed golden, a fierce light igniting within them. A grin spread across his blood-smeared face, a predator’s smile in the midst of chaos. He halted his movements abruptly, a deliberate pause amidst the frenzied battle.

Sensing an opportunity, the beasts lunged forward, their ravenous eyes locked on the Tempest Fruit. The air was thick with the scent of their hunger, their collective roar a cacophony of impending doom.

"Stop." Lyon’s voice cut through the noise, a single, commanding word that echoed through the canyon.

An eerie silence followed. The beasts, as if held by an invisible force, froze mid-attack. Their eyes widened in confusion and fear, muscles tensing as they fought against an unseen restraint. Even the ground seemed to pause its trembling, the very earth acknowledging Lyon’s authority.

Lyon’s back began to glow, illuminating a single, powerful word: Meteor Dog. This was the manifestation of Tiangou’s blessings, an ancient power that now surged through him, amplifying his strength and presence. The glow radiated from his skin, casting a golden hue over the entire battlefield, reflecting off the eyes of the immobilized beasts.