Chapter 119: Chapter119-The Last Stand
Chapter 119: Chapter119-The Last Stand
"Could it be a coincidence... or something else? This is too much of a coincidence, isn't it? Just after we dealt with [Betrayal], a [Divine Emissary] descended? This..." Exiled Immortal frowned deeply, clearly finding Qing's words hard to believe.
After all, in terms of individual combat strength, Qing was the strongest among them.
If even Qing felt this way, what chance did they have if they were next?
Thinking of this, Exiled Immortal took a deep breath and said solemnly, "John is right, we can't act alone anymore. At least three people should move together, two people might not be enough."
"Right! There's something else!" Qing suddenly sat up as if remembering something, looking somewhat embarrassed as he turned to John. "John, the thing you asked me to retrieve... I didn't get it. I drank too much and messed up. It's my fault, no one else to blame...
I'm ready to take any punishment!"
"No need for that, Qing. Barry himself came by and delivered everything to me. He also apologized, saying that some minor disagreements made you leave in anger. He hoped you wouldn't mind."
"Barry... he really said that?"
"Of course. Barry said that you're straightforward by nature, and his previous words were indeed inconsiderate. He hoped you wouldn't take it to heart."
"That's good to hear... Haha, but you guys won't believe it, it was quite a thrill. Just one word from me in the private room, and the whole place went silent. Hey! That feeling." Qing chuckled a few times, and after confirming that Barry had indeed delivered the items, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"In any case, regarding the [Divine Emissary], I'll gather more information. In the meantime, don't act recklessly, and it's best to move together. Especially Helena and Lily, you two are not allowed to sneak out shopping, even if Sier is with you. Understood?"
Hearing this, the two girls immediately showed expressions of grievance on their faces, but given the urgency of the matter, they couldn't refuse and simply nodded in response.
"That's it for now. Stay at our current residence for the next few days, don't wander around. Alright, everyone, go back."
With matters of life and death, there was no room for the slightest carelessness.
John had to find someone to get the answers he needed.
With [Deception] missing and out of contact for a long time, John could only place his hopes on Seraphina.
After seeing everyone off, John returned to his room with Elaria.
Seeing the solemn expression on John's face, Elaria lightly bit her lip and walked forward, gently nestling into John's embrace.
"John, don't put too much pressure on yourself. As long as we're together, there's no challenge we can't overcome!"
"The unknown enemy is the most terrifying. We are in the open while they are in the shadows. I must figure out their identities, or I won't be able to sleep peacefully."
"But this isn't just your responsibility. You can try to rely on us more. Don't carry everything on your own shoulders."
"...No, this is my responsibility. I brought them into this. Without me, they could have had a much easier time. I must bear this responsibility."
John shook his head helplessly and turned to gently ruffle Elaria's long hair.
"Sorry, Elaria, for making you worry about me."
"I'm just worried that you're putting too much pressure on yourself."
"It's okay. I'll find a solution to this problem soon. For now, there are still four [Abyss Apostles] left, and the number of [Divine Emissaries] is still unclear. The only thing I can do is to quickly improve my own strength."
Suddenly, an idea popped into John's mind: the [Key of the Underworld], a [Legendary] quality item that could open a hidden dungeon.
"Once I figure out the identities of the [Divine Emissaries], I'll open the dungeon."
With this thought, John took a deep breath.
After calming Elaria's emotions, John no longer hesitated and directly entered the self-contained space within the Eternal Alchemy Bible.
Seraphina seemed to still be asleep, and even when she sensed John's presence, she didn't react.
John walked into the radiance and, with a sigh, said, "I've encountered some trouble."
"The [Divine Emissary] has set their sights on Qing, but the key problem is that we don't even know how many of them there are or what their abilities are. This feeling of complete ignorance is unbearable."
"…"
"I know you can hear me. I will soon bring you the Soul Crystals. I'm about to head to the underworld, where you should be able to find what you need."
It seemed that the mention of the underworld caught Seraphina's attention, or perhaps she could no longer endure John's rambling. She finally decided to awaken.
"Regarding your question, I can't reveal too much to you. What I can say is that [Divine Emissaries], like you, are chosen by the [Deities], but they might not necessarily be players, or even humans.
After being chosen, they have only one voice in their minds: to eliminate you. As for those you've mentioned, I believe they are not [Divine Emissaries] but rather their own followers.
After all, the [Deities] couldn't possibly grant their powers to so many people at once. So, those who come to harass you are not the real issue.
The key lies in the identities of the [Divine Emissaries]. In the alchemy techniques I've taught you, there's a device that can detect the aura of [Deities]. Since you plan to go to the underworld, there's a necessary material for making this device.
As for Soul Crystals, they might be there, but they're likely very precious, and getting them will depend entirely on luck."
Hearing this, John suddenly smiled.
"You know I've always been lucky, don't you?"
"Maybe so, John, but I might... be running out of time."
Seraphina sat up, the glow around her becoming increasingly dim.
"What, how could this be?"
"This day was bound to come sooner or later. After all, I'm just a remnant soul and can't sustain myself for long.
Being able to last this long has already been a surprise. My soul is incomplete, and my divine essence is not whole.
My power is irreversibly fading every second, and there's nothing either of us can do to stop it. So, perhaps it's time to say goodbye."
Looking at Seraphina's sorrowful expression, John stood frozen in place, not knowing what to say for a moment.
"Isn't there any other way? Do I just have to watch you dissipate into nothingness?"
"There is a way, but for you, it's as good as impossible."
"No matter how difficult it is, I will do it! You can't die yet. I still have countless questions about alchemy to ask you. How can you just die like this?"
"Don't waste time on the inevitable. In fact, spending the last moments of my existence with someone as interesting as you is quite a pleasant end."
"Alright, my strength can no longer sustain my consciousness. That's it. If necessary, I will remind you. You can leave now."
With these words, Seraphina didn't give John a chance to ask more questions.
With a casual wave of her hand, she sent John out of the self-contained space within the Eternal Alchemy Bible.
As his consciousness gradually returned, John felt increasingly bitter.
Despite not having spent much time with Seraphina, he couldn't accept or come to terms with the imminent death of this mentor and friend.
"Is there really... no way?"
...
"So, this is the item I was instructed to retrieve? An... eyeball?"
Deep within the [Abyss], [Deception] sat on the ground, disheveled, continuously examining the vibrant eyeball in his hand, clicking his tongue in awe.
"Thousands, even tens of thousands of years have passed, yet it still retains its vitality. Truly befitting of one who once ruled Olympus. The [Divine Power] hasn't dried up."
Unfortunately, this was something his master had repeatedly emphasized must be retrieved.
No matter how extraordinary, [Deception] couldn't claim it for himself.
"After all this trouble, it's time to head back. Hmm... I wonder how little John is doing without my help.
He should have encountered [Betrayal] by now, right? Maybe... haha, what am I thinking? How could John possibly be a match for [Betrayal]?"