Chapter 157: Calamity Flame Fortress vs. Pumpkin of Romance

"Prosperous Age: Lotus Flower!"

An ethereal voice escaped Muyou's lips. Following the explosion, the entire space was utterly destroyed. The nine-colored demon lotus shielded everyone in its center, slowly blooming and carrying them as it hovered across the pitch-black void.

Is this... the underworld...

Looking from afar, a colossal, clock-shaped structure floated mid-air out of nowhere. Its volume was boundless and utterly mind-boggling.

"Even like this, I still couldn't kill you..."

Vapors billowed beneath the Princess's feet as she stood gracefully in mid-air, gazing coldly at the group with a hint of emotional resonance in her tone.

"To still protect your friends even in this state... I envy them a little."

The Princess looked at the people standing behind Muyou, speaking with wistful yearning.

"You seem quite good at making friends. When you have so many friends like this, does it bring comfort to your heart?" the Princess asked with a puzzled expression, pausing her attack.

"Of course. Without friends, I wouldn't have survived until today. Can you accept this explanation?!" Muyou said.

"Actually, I've wanted to try it too. My whole life has either been spent high above or in utter desolation; I've never experienced the feeling that friends can bring. I wouldn't call it a yearning, nor can I say it's envy, but I can't deny that deep down, I actually want to try making a friend..." the Princess said, half to herself and half in self-derision.

"Then go make one, nobody's stopping you?" Tiantong blurted out in confusion, though Youtong immediately pulled him back into her embrace. "Will you just shut up!"

Heaven knows why the Princess was bringing this up at a time like this, or what she was trying to accomplish.

Yet, nothing happened; the Princess merely spoke as if talking to herself.

"Easier said than done. How does one make friends? How can you be friends with a half-machine? Heh, heh-heh-heh..."

As she spoke, the Princess began to laugh softly to herself. Faint tears brushed past the corners of her eyes, which she quickly wiped away.

"I envy these things, and I'm not the type who must destroy whatever she cannot have. But I also have my own reason for existing; I must give myself an explanation—what on earth am I in this world?! If others cannot give me the answer I want, then I'll find it myself!!!"

With that, the Princess ascended to the highest peak of the sky, her fists clashing together as the phantom of a three-headed hellfire ancient dragon chillingly materialized.

"My Pyre Battery was crafted by slaughtering a special-grade dangerous species of the Magma Abyss—the Pyre Ancient Dragon—using the tissue of its dragon breath generator. Its power increases as my anger grows. Muyou, boy, watch yourself. My meaningless existence is the greatest anger of my life, and my next attack will be my ultimate Teigu killing technique!!!"

As she spoke, the Princess merged with the Pyre Ancient Dragon, opening both mouths as the dragon's breath began to flicker with hidden brilliance.

Ever since entering Death Row Paradise, Muyou had experienced unprecedented pressure.

Once struck by that kind of attack, both he and his friends behind him would be instantly pulverized. By then, even the Oracle probably wouldn't be able to save them.

What should he do? He had just deployed a quasi-Oracle. To block this attack, nothing short of a true Oracle would suffice.

The ultimate Teigu technique combined with an SS-rank Oracle unleashed at full power—Muyou had to draw forth the Oracle!

Nuclear Blast, weren't you also triggered by spiritual power? Wake up, wake up for me damn it!!

The nine-colored divine radiance swirled across Muyou's forehead, and instantly, all the energy within his body surged frantically toward the Nuclear Blast in his chest.

Resentment, bonds, longing, companionship, sympathy, and pity—along with the awakening of the Versatile Battery, endless human emotions flooded Muyou's mind, fusing ever more intimately with the pity in his sea of souls.

Protect!!

Muyou's emotions resonated in unison with the Nuclear Blast.

The Nuclear Blast slowly floated out from Muyou's chest. Its ancient jade-like surface began to crack and peel away, and its shape began to transform.

Finally, a pitch-black battery, resembling a material part-jade and part-wood, appeared before Muyou's eyes.

Muyou's nine-colored pupils abruptly narrowed. This Nuclear Blast was not the core of the Versatile Battery, but rather its seal!

The Versatile Battery: an ultimate solo-combat ancient Teigu activated by the master's will. The stronger the master's will, the greater its power, powerful enough to destroy heaven and earth. An SS-rank ancient offensive Teigu.

Whoosh!!!

Muyou grasped the Versatile Battery, aiming it squarely at the Princess.

"Heh, even the Versatile Battery, which has the lowest compatibility, has chosen you. You truly are lucky. But this is your first time using a Teigu, and you haven't gone through any calibration. How could you possibly unleash the full power of a Teigu?! I've already won!" the Princess said, convinced of her victory.

Muyou did not reply. He turned his head and looked at the friends standing behind him.

An Luxi, An Luhuan, Xuan Yao, Xu Chen, He Jing, Fei Mo, Youtong, Tiantong, Yexi... Every single one of them nodded to Muyou.

Slowly turning back, he aimed the Versatile Battery at the Princess suspended in mid-air.

The matte muzzle of the battery began to condense energy.

At that moment, the nine-colored lotus on Muyou's forehead detached itself autonomously, fusing with the Versatile Battery.

Muyou's smile deepened.

The nine-colored demon lotus awakened, its nine essences of energy surging tumultuously.

"I believe in you, you know," An Luxi said.

"Me too," An Luhuan said.

"Boss, you're the best," Xu Chen said.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew," He Jing said.

"Hmph, I'm only doing this for Fei Mo's sake," Tiantong muttered, curling his lip.

"Good luck," Fei Mo smiled.

"There'll be no problem," Youtong nodded.

"Don't be afraid, I'll help you too," Yexi looked at Muyou tenderly.

"Let's do it together," Xuan Yao said with a sense of release.

Nine pairs of hands gripped the Versatile Battery together. This time, the energy at the muzzle shockingly shifted from crimson red to brilliant white!!

"Daydreaming!!!"

The Princess launched her attack with a thunderous roar!

"Don't underestimate me!!!"

Muyou shrieked in a roar!

Two beams of world-destroying light—one black, one white—collided fiercely together.

Muyou: "Ahhh!!! How could I possibly lose?!"

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The entire void trembled. The dial-shaped structures where Muyou stood crumbled into nothingness, destroying a full kilometer—all the way until one-twelfth of the entire structure was utterly obliterated before finally halting.

Ding-ding~~~~~

Even Death Row Paradise sounded alarms simultaneously across its subterranean depths and surface.

"What's going on? Is there an earthquake?" someone roared on the surface.

Zuo Canglang also looked toward the underground in confusion, his ear stud vibrating. Could an SS-rank Teigu have awakened?

In the SS-rank death row residential quarters at the center of each of the twelve dials, the remaining eleven death row inmates continued working on what was at hand, seemingly unphased by the attack just now.

Amidst the ruins, a solitary dark shadow stood watching the two figures falling from the sky, a trace of light flickering within its dull, lifeless eyes.

Pupil-Black: "Target locked. Initiation of capture."