Illimitable Until Death

Chapter 588: Changes In The Battlefield

“BOOM————!”

As the thunderous stifling sound echoed through the sky, sending shockwaves rippling outwards, the colossal Demon Beast, as massive as a mountain, plummeted from the high sky.

“Whoosh————!”

In the sharp whistling of the wind, the Hakugei (White Whale) didn’t even have time to wail.

Its enormous body, like an unprecedented cannonball, friction-burned the air and disturbed the atmosphere, falling backward at an incredible speed before everyone’s eyes.

Finally, it crashed heavily onto a desolate expanse.

“BOOM————!”

The ground shook violently as the Hakugei (White Whale) fell.

Amid the strong vibrations that could trigger landslides, the Hakugei (White Whale) crashed onto the earth, shattering bedrock and crushing soil and stone.

Its body was gradually buried under the rubble of the terrifying collapse.

Only then did Fang Li’s figure slowly descend from mid-air, his whole body shimmering with starlight, halting in suspension.

Everyone was dumbfounded as they watched the Hakugei (White Whale), having been kicked down from the sky by Fang Li, while the Mist of Elimination (Shōmetsu no Kiri) it emitted hadn’t completely dissipated, leaving wisps of fog above.

They were all frozen on the spot.

“No way…”

Ferris, who was treating the wounded in the rear, voiced this disbelief.

“He…”

Crusch, too, couldn’t help but be incredulous.

“…So that’s your true strength?”

Even Wilhelm looked silently at the floating Fang Li, his grip on his sword tightening slightly.

Ultimately, no one could utter a sound, leaving an atmosphere of silence hanging in the air.

Of course, this scene did not last long.

“Oooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh————!”

The next second, everyone erupted into a tsunami of cheers, directed at the Guardian Knight floating in mid-air.

With just his strength, he faced one of the Sandai Maju (Three Great Demon Beasts) alone, kicking down the Hakugei (White Whale), which had plagued the world for four hundred years and had repelled even the Kingdom’s subjugation forces, nearly annihilating them.

This feat was tremendously morale-boosting.

“Emilia Sama!”

“Yes!”

In the distance, Rem and Emilia, who had also watched this scene unfold, were equally delighted, exchanging smiles between them.

Excitement surged in their hearts.

Immediately, Emilia said to Rem, “I’m feeling much better now, Rem.

Let’s go help him.”

Rem naturally had no objections and nodded immediately.

However, just as Emilia was about to move forward, Rem’s smile suddenly stiffened, her pupils dilating.

Her cute nose twitched slightly.

At that moment, Rem smelled it.

Rem smelled a stench that penetrated her very core, one that she would never forget.

Realizing the true nature of this smell, Rem shouted to Emilia, who was about to advance.

“Emilia Sama!

Watch out!”

Unfortunately, it was already too late to shout.

An unseen Black Hand silently approached from behind Emilia.

…

“————!?”

Suspended in mid-air, Fang Li, who was gazing at the Hakugei (White Whale)’s position, buried under the rubble and swallowed by the collapsing ground, suddenly sensed something amiss.

Despite the distance, Fang Li, sensitive to the aura of death, noticed something was wrong.

Even though it was extremely subtle, the surrounding air had indeed changed.

(This feeling…!)

Fang Li had felt this sensation before.

He felt it when Natsuki Subaru was killed by Elsa, dragging Fang Li into his Returns by Death (Shinimodori).

At that time, Fang Li was observing Subaru’s death when an unexpected occurrence interrupted him.

“————Die.”

A certain entity appeared behind Fang Li then, wrapping its arms around him and whispering in his ear.

Now, the change in the air gave Fang Li the same spine-chilling sensation as before.

Though not as intense as back then, the impression was deep enough for Fang Li to remember that feeling.

And now, Fang Li realized that the same sensation had emerged on this battlefield.

Unluckily, Fang Li’s calm mind allowed him to understand almost instantly what was happening.

Almost simultaneously, an unexpected event occurred.

“Aaaaahhhhhhhh————!”

An evil spirit-like howl suddenly echoed from a corner of the battlefield, startling everyone.

“BOOM————!”

Immediately afterward, an explosion burst forth from the direction of the sound.

Fang Li turned his head sharply, looking towards that direction.

There, Rem, her entire body surging with violent energy, had a snow-white horn growing from her forehead and wielded a weapon resembling a meteor hammer, connected by an iron chain, swinging it wildly.

Around her, a group of people had appeared.

Each was dressed in black, with hooded cloaks, looking like sinister incarnations completely shrouded in cloaks, dressed as fanatical cultists.

This group had surrounded the Oni-transformed Rem, some holding short swords resembling crosses, while others raised their hands, conjuring fireballs to attack Rem.

Fang Li had seen this attire, this atmosphere, this feeling before.

He had seen them in Rem’s soul, in her past memories.

“Witch Cultists————!!!”

Rem’s berserk roar told everyone exactly who these sinister figures around her were.

“Witch Cult?!”

Crusch, Ferris, and Wilhelm’s entire group were all shocked.

The Witch Cult had taken advantage of their Hakugei (White Whale)’s hunt to infiltrate their group.

“Whoosh————!”

In mid-air, Fang Li’s figure suddenly transformed into a released arrow, shooting towards Rem’s direction at incredible speed.

However, as if targeting this very moment, another dominating presence on the battlefield began to go berserk.

“BOOM————!”

Amid the explosion, the massive pit that had caved in suddenly erupted, flinging rubble like an explosion.

“Wūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūūū————!”

The Hakugei (White Whale) broke free from the pit rubble its fall had created.

It roared furiously while charging into the sky, twisting its body with bloodshot eyes, while glaring at Fang Li, and recklessly crashing toward him.

The wind howled around the Hakugei (White Whale)’s charging body.

“You wanna die?!”

Seeing the Hakugei (White Whale) charging toward him with immense force, Fang Li’s ice-blue Mystic Eyes flashed with unprecedented fierceness.