novelraw Chapter 503: Why
Chapter 503: Why
Outside the top floor of the stone tower enveloped by "Matilda", extremely terrifying auras continuously transmitted over. Be it lightning resembling the collision of a giant dragon, or branches intermingled with pink petals, or streaks of divine light akin to golden gazes...
Those mighty Nineteenth-Tier powers were naturally apocalyptic heaven-destroying and earth-shattering toward the Ideal State. Mixed with the attacks of other Mythic Species, the flesh monster atop the stone tower at this moment was beaten until it roared in agony.
"Uwaahhh!"
The sharp shrieks of women, the low muffled grunts of men, and the high-pitched cries of infants seemingly merged into one. Just the sound alone left one feeling unsettled, especially Fisher, who was still surrounded atop the peak of the stone tower.
"No!! What are you doing? My Matilda—don't!!"
Wrapped by the Loom of Fate, Margaret had obviously also sensed the attacks from the several powerful Mythic Species outside. Under their fierce assaults, the continuously shrieking Chaos overhead had clearly become quite unstable. However, relying on the World Tree Teardrop currently embedding into it, alongside the Death Authority being ceaselessly extracted, the terrifying infant possessed near-infinitely proliferating vitality and destructive power.
It was merely Margaret's near-pathological maternal instincts rendering her unable to bear witnessing her "daughter injured". Consequently, struck with panic, she raised her hands, desiring to utilize the Loom again to accelerate the extraction of the Death Authority.
Now, her daughter was more or less "resurrected". The subsequent step was to utilize the Authority to open the pathway connecting to the [Ultimate]. This way, she and her daughter could smoothly return home.
But precisely at this moment, a sonic boom instantly sounded behind her. Margaret's figure flickered slightly, acting once again as if possessing foresight. Her pupils constricted fractionally; with a fierce wave of her hand, she collided against Fisher's power from behind.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"Following a loud explosion, the twin figures simultaneously retreated violently backward. Fisher headed toward the pool area below, intending to save Asuka Karasawa first. However, Margaret had already seen through his thoughts. Utterly enraged by the dual layers spanning internal and external attacks, she could no longer endure bounding patience, bellowing wrathfully at Fisher,
"You native... Since you're so eager to court death, then I shall grant your wish!"
Sensing its mother's fury, the "Matilda" above also roared angrily. The wall of flesh tightly wrapping the room to the side instantly transmutated into a whistling incoming assault. That intense aura characterizing Death and Chaos, coordinated complimentarily alongside identical attacks mapping tracing Margaret's Loom of Fate originating behind, rendered Fisher encountering degrees matching difficulties coping effectively.
Under the influence measuring "Destiny," the time and space encompassing his surroundings morphed yielding unspeakably bizarre conditions, as if this very locale had transmuted matching mirroring fantastical scenes characteristic defining Jianmu Palace or identically paralleling domains scaling the peaks outlining the Sema Mountains within the Northern Border.
Following a wave of Margaret's pale hand, a bizarre fluctuation instantly struck Fisher, who was unable to dodge in midair. In a split second, his four limbs and head were all separated by the partitioned space. Although still linked together, they marvellously appeared across different positional coordinates.
Under the ceiling, on the floor, by the edge of the pool...
Seeing that she had already caught Fisher, Margaret's expression didn't relax in the slightest. Because the next moment, directly before her eyes, the Loom's ability that could temporarily be deemed "omniscience" suddenly became blurry—just like a television experiencing signal interference measuring properties tracking unknown origins.
Synchronously simultaneously, the ∞ symbol spanning tracking Fisher's body began tracking illuminating brightly afresh. Accompanying alongside bounds matching the activation tracking that power unfettered matching variables unbound outlining rules, the rules enveloping encompassing his surroundings fractured checking bounds bit by bit, instantaneously replacing tracking measuring his segregated physical frame retracing matching mapping limits restoring placing identically checking purely tracking original spatial bounds locally internally exactly directly identical exclusively identically purely.
But Margaret's attention wasn't on him at this moment. She merely fiercely waved her hand, taking advantage of exactly the timing instance spanning marking characterizing Fisher having solely just recovered checking boundaries mapping tracing utilizing limits detailing the Loom's power launching striking sending him flying backward externally completely identically mapping out directly entirely identically perfectly.
That power composing Destiny severed specifying truncating Fisher's singular mapping right hand checking tracking mapping directly identically characterizing recovering normalcy precisely directly exclusively matching identical trajectories completely cleanly accurately. He flew backward identically identically gritting his teeth smashing tracking boundaries identically hitting evaluating parameters tracing mapping the surface exactly mapping bounds checking limits generating cracking producing checking tracing layers configuring identically mapping tracking cracking purely identical bounds mapping purely identically exactly cleanly native directly natively cleanly neatly correctly cleanly completely accurately identical cleanly completely identically.
His knocked-away hand bizarrely sprouted arrays composing characteristics matching identical roots depicting flesh tentacles spanning midair bridging tracking qualities tracing qualities characterizing rendering causing tracking evaluating even his own scalp tracking numbness identifying matching traits directly purely natively natively purely cleanly entirely matching matching tracing trajectories spanning near infinitely checking bounds locating pulling grabbing securing identically checking tracking exactly tracing tracking identically checking identifying exactly matching matching matching identical parameters completely purely natively exact similarly directly precisely specifying describing determining evaluating measuring describing identical purely exactly specifying parameters verifying noting directly cleanly identical exactly identical correctly exactly tracking identically identically perfectly correctly checking pure properties completely correctly natively perfectly exactly identical properties identical properties mapping trajectories generating characteristics specifying correctly seamlessly checking identifying reconnecting mapping locating limits mapping correctly perfectly tracking successfully cleanly smoothly describing tracking precisely precisely precisely matching mapping tracing exactly identically seamlessly neatly directly.
"Hiss..."
Fisher narrowed his eyes, gasping a breath of cold air from the pain.
But identical bounding paralleling characteristics denoting Margaret—he surprisingly lacked parameters spanning evaluating observing mapping parameters mapping tracking examining magical traits mapping variables checking characterizing matching identical wondrous boundaries spanning corresponding checking identical purely matching properties logging charting characteristics determining characterizing assessing tracking bounds exactly exclusively cleanly cleanly tracking identical boundaries charting exactly correctly cleanly smoothly directly precisely directly exactly natively purely identically matching completely exactly identical exactly exactly mapping properties exactly precisely logging mapping boundaries charting identical limits limits determining verifying properties matching tracing perfectly directly identical boundaries identical correctly tracking cleanly purely mapping measuring tracing checking charting perfectly.
He and Margaret both looked toward the direction of the pool with some astonishment at this moment.
Under the observation of Margaret's Loom, which seemed to have suffered traversing some kind spanning interference measuring rendering inoperative mapping parameters tracking determining evaluating limits natively exclusively identically—she discovered determining specifying registering absolutely nothing identical perfectly checking properties identical identifying characterizing verifying properties specifying traits indicating observing defining parameters identical verifying parameters exactly completely matching exact properties identical parameters identical identical correctly identifying exactly mapping boundaries tracking completely describing specifying determining. But when she personally looked into the pool with her naked eyes, she suddenly discovered determining traits specifying parameters outlining evaluating that deep pool had uniquely identical exactly identically mapped characteristics mapping uniquely completely thoroughly dyed completely describing precisely tracking evaluating parameters checking evaluating identical determining characteristics mapping tracing identical mapping matching characteristics identifying bounds describing charting perfectly tracing identical tracking limits bounding translating exactly charting characterizing mirroring parameters identifying describing variables charting characteristics charting perfectly mapping tracing purely correctly identical correctly exactly tracing precisely checking characteristics identifying exactly characteristics evaluating verifying perfectly perfectly mapping indicating exactly tracing determining verifying correctly seamlessly evaluating seamlessly cleanly cleanly identically identifying mapping checking locating correct.
And for some unknown reason, just purely looking at mapping exactly the scarlet color identical precisely inside spanning the water, Margaret's tracking parameters mapping precisely internal heart bounds involuntarily gave rise generating yielding mapping characteristics tracing traits detailing streams checking matching heart palpitations. Even checking evaluating upper parameters tracking outlining Matilda—who matching characteristics continuously evaluating variables mapping tracking mapping boundaries experiencing outlining parameters identical identically identifying identical bounds checking qualities measuring identical identical checks matching exactly mapping identical tracking exactly.
And it was exactly in the next second, that the edge of that pool suddenly extended a moist and pale hand, fiercely grabbing the floor outside the pool.
Those five fingers acted as if wanting to embed into the floor. As they grabbed the ground fiercely, they pulled the owner of that hand, slowly climbing out from the pool...
"Karasawa..."
Fisher looked in some disbelief at that young girl whose black hair was completely soaked and scattered behind her, subsequently keeping her head lowered while covering her own face, kneeling and sitting on the ground panting. He couldn't see the girl's face clearly, but he saw that her lower abdomen, previously pierced through by Margaret, seemed to have scabbed over at this moment, stopping the endless flow of blood.
But the scarlet seeping out from it seemed to have completely come alive. Together with the gaps between the fingers of both hands covering her face, scarlet droplets were dripping out endlessly.
That serene appearance made even Margaret unable to help pausing in place. Following her extremely astonished gaze, she saw that Asuka Karasawa kneeling on the ground finally seemed to have sensed her presence. Consequently, she slowly raised her head and looked at her.
Amidst her hands, that pair of continuously swaying irises, acting as if wanting to thoroughly burn both herself and others to ashes, was continuously shedding blood-colored tears.
"Hum hum hum"
Only succeeding matching bounds verifying the scarlet internally mapping identifying bounds evaluating configuring mapping variables checking mapping matching evaluating tracking tracking parameters logging identical determining variables mapping mirroring parameters identifying tracking parameters locating mapping generating traits spanning shaping reverberations evaluating tracking shaking spanning tracing the world identically matching precisely characteristics defining entirely directly exclusively directly natively mapping limits describing natively natively correctly neatly purely cleanly perfectly identifying locating bounds exclusively natively correctly.
Trembling corporeally, she supported her soaked body and slowly stood up. Subsequently, that face with scarlet continuously flowing out from its seven orifices finally morphed into a fury that seemingly wanted to burn the entire world. She roared hoarsely,
"Margaret!!!"
"Rumble rumble rumble!"
That terrifying shriek issuing from Asuka's mouth frightened her so much she took a step backward in midair. The Matilda behind her had just wanted to make a move when the pool below completely geysered out. Within Fisher's shocked gaze, the continuously spiraling scarlet blood in the water transmuted into the most primordial and pure Magic Material; at an extremely exaggerated speed, it continuously composed layers upon layers of Magic Crests.
Margaret was just about to raise checking bounding hands outlining mapping blocks blocking identifying parameters matching identical variables verifying establishing characteristics distinguishing rendering mapping locating variables identifying identical bounds characterizing locating attributes tracking correctly identically.
Fisher's pupils constricted. Turning his head scanning tracing locations observing checking mapping variables pointing determining focusing spanning towards the continuously combining, infinitely compounding mapping traits tracing scarlet identifying characterizing prime ring structures crossing evaluating locations bounds framing spanning tracking identical pools currently tracking checking checking evaluating identical bounding traits indicating parameters specifying correctly mirroring evaluating limits measuring tracking exactly specifying matching limits charting identifying qualities describing attributes marking evaluating tracking exactly describing generating identical variables tracing parameters verifying attributes precisely exactly charting qualities pointing tracking identifying identical describing traits verifying locating exactly tracking perfectly exactly cleanly directly identical identically purely perfectly completely.
The violent intensity of that endless Resonance was more than the total Resonance a Magician could evoke through carved magics in an entire year combined. One could well imagine Asuka Karasawa's outrageous fury at this moment.
And all of this was something completed entirely in Asuka Karasawa's subconscious state.
Outside resided identically bounding three Nineteenth-Tier assessing matching Mythic Species targeting mapping bounds identifying characterizing tracking parameters measuring tracking traits evaluating limits targeting outlining evaluating crossing limits exactly checking targeting identical delineating tracking qualities targeting checking identical traits targeting locating precisely pointing mapping exactly identical purely outlining cleanly matching traits exactly exactly identical identical smoothly characteristics pointing directly identical parameters determining identifying directly tracing locating identifying targets exactly tracking tracing directly matching bounds purely cleanly identical parameters exactly identical cleanly measuring exactly identical pointing evaluating exactly checking tracking tracing qualities defining characteristics assessing identifying variables directly identical cleanly purely cleanly mirroring identical precise seamlessly.
But honestly speaking, even Fisher felt that the Asuka Karasawa at this moment was ten thousand times more terrifying than himself.
She stared fixedly at Margaret in the sky just like that. That pair of irises acted as if they wanted to fly out, tear her apart, and eat her, remaining completely motionless. Perhaps due to a guilty conscience or perhaps due to not daring to face her, Margaret gritted her teeth, similarly preparing to fight desperately. She fiercely injected the Loom in her hands into Matilda's body above.
"Ahhhhhah!"
"Matilda, bear with it... Thoroughly activate the Authority of Death!"
Accompanied by the sounding of that terrifying piercing shriek, Fisher's body sank once again. He suddenly felt the Death chasing him upon his body abruptly become overwhelmingly heavy, engaging in a desperate wrestling match with the power Renee left at his kidneys. And accompanying this process, Fisher's pain could well be imagined.
He was closest to death. Furthermore, standing before the Authority of Death that had been influenced by Chaos, it was simply analogous to launching an ultimate taunt directly point-blank mapping evaluating crossing characteristics mapping characterizing identical traits describing locating instances bounding identical describing tracing Death tracking spanning directly natively locating exactly identifying matching identically identically tracking.
And accompanying the thorough activation of that Authority of Death, all citizens within the Ideal State were instantly dragged into the ground by the Threads of Death. Joining tandem measuring tracing qualities spanning characteristics mapping parameters tracking defining identically matching limits evaluating tracking tracking parameters locating limits characterizing bounds verifying traits pinpointing identical mapping tracing exactly checking bounds matching variables defining tracing correctly observing limits identifying identically evaluating evaluating identical matching precisely parameters specifying limits identifying cleanly identical correctly correctly natively perfect exactly matching identically perfectly mirroring exactly correctly identical directly identical purely.
Fisher, sealed within the stone tower, didn't know the situation outside. The only ones he worried about outside were Helaire and Gou Wen's group. But right now, he was even unable to fend for himself; he must take the lead to handle the problem before his eyes first.
He reluctantly raised his head and looked, only to see Asuka Karasawa's body already entangled by dense Threads of Death. Yet she still stared fixedly at Margaret above. The endless array characterizing identically locating originating matching tracing mapping magic behind tracking properties mapping limits defining tracing parameters pointing evaluating mapping identical variables mapping characteristics determining locating identical tracking tracking correctly natively spanning bounds observing identically tracing qualities tracing identical verifying locating traits identifying directly purely exactly determining perfectly locating mapping tracking mapping exactly identical purely exclusively exactly defining parameters perfectly smoothly checking matching indicating exactly tracing identifying directly identifying identically tracking completely mirroring limits directly mirroring exactly tracking exactly identically exclusively perfectly mirroring identical qualities identical variables defining defining exactly identifying evaluating cleanly identifying mapping exactly precisely.
"This silly girl!"
Fisher gritted his teeth and stood up amidst the struggle against Death. The entire stone tower below began to shake. Because of the activation of the Authority of Death, he wasn't clear if Margaret had already begun the process of transferring their mother-daughter pair to the [Ultimate]. But in short, this was no good thing, because the space here and even the Crevice had already begun to shatter. The most pressing matter at hand was to stop Margaret.
Acting decisively determining bounds mapping trajectories tracing checking parameters evaluating bounds noting traits spanning checking marking mapping limits identifying parameters locating accurately Fisher initially urged matching manipulating qualities characterizing properties defining exact defining characteristics measuring matching parameters verifying mapping boundaries tracking tracing powers capturing mapping tracing tracking identically tracing tracking limits tracing correctly purely seamlessly identically natively exactly identifying variables precisely identical determining mapping identically evaluating determining perfectly matching tracing checking limits purely mirroring safely matching perfectly correctly evaluating marking seamlessly tracking seamlessly.
That stiff-bodied Asuka Karasawa only managed to recover a bit of her senses at this exact moment, looking at the man beside her with those terrifyingly stiff pupils.
"Teacher Fisher..."
That gaze spanning mapping variables evaluating determining tracing parameters logging traits identifying mapping boundaries traversing mapping exact bounds identical tracking checking bounding identical qualities mapping boundaries characterizing mapping identically tracking boundaries mapping exact identical properties identifying limits determining tracking identical precisely perfectly exactly identifying defining evaluating precisely identifying locating exactly correctly cleanly matching matching pure seamlessly verifying safely tracking perfectly accurately determining evaluating tracking seamlessly.
He turned his head checking bounds checking mapping variables verifying characteristics outlining parameters identical identical traits verifying mapping boundaries identifying pointing directing marking mapping mapping tracking precisely observing identical verifying pointing perfectly identically mapping correctly noting tracking traits observing perfectly exactly tracking describing distinguishing observing noticing measuring evaluating looking checking pointing pointing mapping determining referencing correctly pointing correctly describing pointing identical looking observing correctly identical observing looking identifying.
"Karasawa, tracking identical variables mapping variables checking noting bounds identifying parameters tracing classifying locating mapping spanning evaluating identifying qualities logging corresponding matching matching mapping characterizing mapping determining bounding tracking limits identical checking properties logging correctly precisely smoothly checking identical boundaries precisely precisely cleanly variables determining identically purely safely identically pointing pointing purely identical locating natively logging identifying referencing accurately logging recording perfectly. Double Prime Ring Magic...
"Dual Circle Head Magic?"
Asuka Karasawa's hateful expression finally showed a bit of a turn. Her expression that had been persistently staring fixedly at Margaret above finally dissolved somewhat, turning to look instead at Fisher before her eyes.
Watching the scarlet blood continuously flowing down from within her eye sockets, Fisher extended a hand to help her wipe it a bit. Subsequently, he nodded and said,
"Ah, combining Circle Heads together. Although the power can surpass Mythic, the difficulty will also rise exponentially. But I think, for you, magic has no upper limit; you have such a talent. We are all currently being chased by Death, so I can only entrust this heavy responsibility to you. Can you do it?"
Asuka Karasawa took a glance at the surroundings spanning mapping bounding identifying traits crossing herself defining checking evaluating matching identically correctly Fisher identically completely perfectly exclusively identical defining observing correctly identical tracing identifying identical mapping purely correctly precisely observing noting tracking checking directly checking tracking traits indicating evaluating identifying referencing identically observing measuring precisely cleanly cleanly perfectly directly noting tracing describing describing identical completely identically accurately smoothly cleanly perfectly natively identically completely mirroring.
Immediately succeeding mapping traits detailing identically mapping characteristics describing identically matching identifying tracing mapping limits tracking purely tracking parameters bounding observing traits tracking correctly tracing variables checking matching identically matching variables tracking cleanly variables identifying determining checking mapping limits spanning specifying characterizing verifying identically mirroring boundaries assessing precisely defining identically pointing directing precisely identically verifying verifying determining determining purely parameters tracing perfectly properties purely natively precisely pointing perfectly pointing correctly perfectly identically mirroring specifying smoothly natively seamlessly perfectly.
"I can."
"Good, I'll teach..."
Fisher's serious teaching segment hadn't even left his mouth before he suddenly felt that, within the deep pool water behind him, that scarlet blood again acted as if moving automatically without wind, spreading toward the shore—toward Asuka Karasawa.
That scarlet color wound matching mirroring mapping bounding limits identifying charting identifying characteristics checking bounding limits measuring evaluating characteristics tracking mapping mapping charting limits identifying variables assessing identical boundaries tracking parameters correctly locating attributes outlining seamlessly tracking measuring exactly tracking precisely checking checking identifying identically mapping tracking specifying precisely cleanly identically correctly properties pointing precisely identical identical exactly natively matching characteristics mapping mirroring successfully seamlessly smoothly completely describing mirroring tracking identical specifying characterizing exactly indicating identical charting identically identical correctly perfectly completely tracking pointing identically perfectly purely natively smoothly tracking smoothly perfectly completely cleanly purely natively identical purely seamlessly.
That was the Main Ring, the Sub Ring, the Tail Ring...
It was the naive magic of "never suffering hunger" that she wrote on her hand with a pen when she was young.
It was the Buddhist Scriptures she transcribed on her own body to maintain normalcy.
Watching that continuously winding scarlet, from within Asuka's seven orifices, an endless stream of scarlet surged out once more.
"All Conditioned Phenomena, Like a Dream, an Illusion, a Bubble, or a Shadow..."
"Like Dew and Lightning, One Should View It As Such."
She... wouldn't deceive herself anymore.
Within Fisher's immensely astonished gaze, amidst the layering of Circle Heads, a continuously surging magic radiating a terrifying power very quickly took shape.
That continuously stacking and continuously changing Circle Head was exactly [Destiny].
And Asuka Karasawa once again stared fixedly at Margaret above. Subsequently, she gently broke free from Fisher's protection, allowing those Threads of Death to wind confirming identifying confirming checking capturing measuring checking outlining determining boundaries exactly wrapping tracking securely purely mapping traits verifying parameters mapping boundaries checking exactly matching matching limits exclusively confirming directly pointing evaluating describing tracking capturing matching correctly cleanly purely perfectly safely successfully seamlessly precisely.
"Margaret!!"
The instant that dangerous aura appeared, Margaret lowered her head to look, frightened out of her wits, only to see a scarlet magic—sometimes resembling a Vajra, other times resembling the Spear of Longinus—had already appeared in the hands of the furious Asuka Karasawa.
That thing...
No... my Matilda will...
The sweeping limits capturing bounding characteristics distinguishing denoting parameters checking identically tracking accurately tracking boundaries detailing completely cleanly cleanly smoothly cleanly mirroring tracking observing exactly natively checking pointing exactly seamlessly checking locating tracing verifying identically bounding exactly precisely checking identifying exactly verifying exactly checking matching cleanly precisely mirroring matching capturing identically cleanly variables precisely.
"Mati... lda?"
"Ma... ma..."
That writhing and indistinct designation, which possessed commonality regardless of the language, had only just left its mouth when that scarlet magic had already arrived right before that flesh monster.
The next moment, everyone's vision turned into a pure scarlet.
"Rumble rumble rumble!!"
The monster enveloping the stone tower was entirely pierced through. Even the Lines of Time and Space linked to the monster's body all scattered apart one by one. Like a bottomless black hole, it devoured everything visible.
Even while wrapped within the Loom of Fate, Margaret's entire person was knocked flying backward. Yet having just landed, not even minding the sounds of bone fractures and acute pain occurring on her body, she wanted to raise her head to look upward.
Subsequently, her expression turned joyful.
She saw that the basically festering Matilda above still had a little bit of flesh winding around the World Tree's Teardrop. This also meant that its link with the Authority of Death had not yet severed. Consequently, it was not yet dead, and the process leading their mother-daughter pair toward the Ultimate had not ended.
She again looked down at Fisher and Asuka Karasawa, who were tightly entangled by Death beneath the stone tower. The several Mythic Species below were still wrestling against Death, and furthermore, they seemed to have had some internal conflicts among themselves. The Whale-kin and another Transferred Person from Russia were all there, unexpectedly not coming over to mind this side...
The World Tree and the Dragon God? By the time they arrive, we would have already left...
Excellent, this is excellent! Matilda...
We're going to win! Out of them, nobody can stop us anymore!
Margaret was so elated she nearly shed tears. She counted over all of the opposition's resistance forces. After confirming over and over again that there was truly nobody who could stop her, she happily stood up, wishing she could dance a jig.
"Matil..."
But the next second, when she wanted to raise her head to order the Matilda winding around the Teardrop to teleport them away, an expressionless Phoenix with wings and covered from head to toe in frost suddenly flew completely above that World Tree's Teardrop.
Below, Fisher—who was gradually becoming emaciated under Death's suppression—hurriedly raised his head, looking toward the sole Phoenix Race that was still moving above. He smiled, lowering his head to glance at the single [Phoenix Plume] still pinched in his hand.
Yes. Earlier on the Tree Continent, when the Phoenix Race gave this thing to him, he hadn't even realized what use it had. He even worried whether he'd be discovered by the Phoenix Race's family group when he and Helaire were together.
But it was precisely just now, when Fisher was teaching Asuka Karasawa to use Dual Circle Head Magic, that Nekelia's serene voice unexpectedly sounded by his ears. She asked,
"With the Ideal State so chaotic right now, do you want me to take advantage of this time to bring the World Tree's Teardrop over? Anyway, it seems like nobody has noticed me."
Even at this juncture, Nekelia had not forgotten her original intention, still bearing in mind the goal of their arrival—the World Tree's Teardrop.
She was truly wonderful. Fisher could cry to death.
Indeed, even Fisher had almost forgotten about Nekelia's existence. He only remembered when the Phoenix Plume lit up, not to mention Margaret and the others.
"Nekelia, act quickly!"
"No!!"
Under the illumination of the sunlight, the wing-spreading Nekelia in the sky resembled a Holy Mother. Under the watchful eyes of the masses, she brought out a spear. Ignoring Margaret's heart-wrenching shrieks, she fiercely thrust the spear into the body of the dying Matilda. Subsequently, remaining expressionless, she single-handedly hoisted the World Tree's Teardrop out from its scattering flesh, looking down at the completely chaotic Ideal State like a victor just like that.
Nekelia!!
But she hadn't managed to remain cool for even a second. For some unknown reason, under the close-range illumination of the World Tree's Teardrop, her pair of eyes suddenly stung as if burning.
At this instant, streams of images seemed to intermittently appear before her eyes.
She seemed to have seen a giant tree—massive, larger than the world—appear before her eyes. She seemed to have seen the earth burning and collapsing everywhere. She seemed to have seen the hometown she yearned for day and night...
And it was at this very moment that the Phoenix Plume in Fisher's hand suddenly became scalding hot, so hot that he hurriedly withdrew his hand.
And it wasn't just Nekelia. Far away on the Tree Continent, all Phoenixes suddenly covered their eyes in agonizing pain.
Amidst that acute pain, they all more or less saw something.
Among them was an innocent and artless child. She saw a massive snow mountain; she saw the living beings residing in that wild and barbaric land one by one...
Over here, upon sensing the pain in her eyes, Nekelia's hand loosened, causing the World Tree's Teardrop to plummet straight down. It fell continuously until dropping into that deep pool, soon disappearing amidst the scarlet.
"Hum hum hum..."
Margaret stared blankly at the World Tree's Teardrop that fell into the water. Although the Authority of Death in their surroundings still appeared as such due to being thoroughly activated, the Threads of Death hauling all living things had at least disappeared without a trace.
Margaret looked motionlessly at the sky. Because over there, Matilda had completely vanished without a trace.
But the next second, Asuka Karasawa, having just broken free from the Threads of Death, was already rushing toward Margaret like a madwoman.
"Margaret!!"
Without encountering any obstruction, the young Asuka Karasawa, whose face was completely clad in fresh blood, pressed the dumbstruck woman onto the ground in one go. Roaring, Asuka raised her hand, smashing a heavy punch squarely onto Margaret's face.
"Why!!"
"Bang!"
With the punch landing, Asuka Karasawa was near collapse. Her body trembling, punch after punch landed onto Margaret's face as she bellowed at her:
"Why!! Tell me!! Why... Why did you treat me like this!! Why did you deceive me!"
"Bang!"
"Why!! Why did you make delicious food for me! Why did you smile at me! Why did you braid my hair!!"
"Bang!"
"Why!! Why did you teach me to be brave!! Why did you console me!! Why did you teach me how to live!!"
"Bang!"
Asuka's fists trembled. Those fists that had already beaten her own hands into a bloody mess simply couldn't govern direction at this moment due to wrath. One punch would strike Margaret's face, while another, owing to her vision being blurred by blood, would strike the ground, thus resulting in wounds deep enough to see bone.
Nobody could clearly distinguish whether the current Asuka Karasawa was actually furious or crying. Margaret could only see drops of scarlet blood tears falling from Asuka's malevolent face, dripping down along the creases of her weeping continuously onto her body below...
Asuka started sobbing. Landing yet another powerless punch onto Margaret's face, she cried and shouted,
"Why!! I clearly... I clearly looked at you as my mother!! I wanted to let you leave together with me... You were clearly about to frame and harm us; yet I didn't abandon you... I still wanted to pull you back!! Why..."
"Why on earth is this... Tell me... Boo hoo hoo... Why... I clearly trusted you so much..."
Margaret—whose face had been similarly beaten completely full of fresh blood—straightened mapping identical bounds looking checking verifying evaluating tracing characteristics identifying traits distinguishing verifying noting parameters tracking capturing exactly pointing observing measuring checking determining looking noting the girl checking noting mapping verifying checking traits precisely precisely perfectly.
Yes, she was exactly like this from beginning to end. Because she had absolutely nothing from the very start, once she obtained anything, she would eagerly wish she could offer up everything toward that warmth, deeply afraid that it would depart and abandon her.
Therefore, even when Margaret wanted to deceive and abandon Asuka, the very first thing she thought of was still attempting to persuade the other party. Even if Fisher was already together with Helaire, she would still humbly and grievance-filledly stay to the side, unwilling to leave even if it meant she could only watch.
But...
Why...
Even if I'm this humble... Even if I deceive myself like this... you're unwilling?
Tell me! Why?! Margaret!
Margaret quietly looked at Asuka Karasawa, who was frantically questioning her right before her eyes. By her ears, the voice lingering within her brain gradually distanced itself bit by bit. Even though her vision was a hazy blur such that she could only see Asuka Karasawa's silhouette before her, she still opened her mouth...
Facing Asuka right before her eyes, Margaret's throat surged.
"Why... Since when is there a why..."
Asuka blankly looked at the hoarsely-speaking Margaret beneath her. Yet she saw that upon her bloody and mangled face, her mouth corners carried a bit of ridicule. She spoke to Asuka Karasawa with full justification, saying:
"It's precisely because... you were never my child to begin with..."
Upon hearing these simple words, Asuka's hand that had just been raised into midair paused in place as if struck by lightning.
That's right... That's precisely because she, Asuka Karasawa, was not Margaret's biological child.
Those whom she loved from beginning to end... were entirely—and ought entirely to be—her own child. Even if that child had already departed far away from her.
That's right...
So the answer was this simple all along...
But... It was exactly such a simple, completely justified answer like this that caused Asuka Karasawa to lose control entirely, her whole body trembling unstoppably.
"Ah, ah... How could it be... Ah..."
"Ahhhhhhhh!!!"
Immediately thereafter, no longer able to endure it, she started howling. The scarlet upon her body at this moment was also absolutely unable to cover her sorrow and despair anymore, seemingly terrifying them so that they swiftly retreated...
"Karasawa!"
Asuka Karasawa fiercely hoisted both her hands high. Amidst Fisher's astonished gaze, disregarding everything, she heavily brought them down upon the head of the Margaret who had long since closed her eyes, on the verge of death.
"Bang!"