Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1953 Settling Accounts -2

Zzzzn-

The blue star twisted violently in midair, its rotation warping the surrounding space, before abruptly reversing its trajectory and charging back toward Elenor with renewed ferocity. ”Damn it!!” Elenor detected it instantly. This time, however, she didnʼt dart aside to evade. Instead, she remained perfectly still, waiting-waiting until the attack drew dangerously close-then struck back with a concentrated burst of her own special energy, releasing it at point-blank range before hurling herself backward with explosive force.

Hoooooom-

The four-headed blue star detonated-but there was no fire, no deafening roar. Rather than exploding outward, it unleashed a cold, merciless severing force, slicing through everything around it with absolute uniformity and terrifying speed, until the very ground looked as though reality itself was being diced into neat, lifeless cubes, like childrenʼs building blocks. ”...?!”

Elenor, having retreated to what should have been a safe distance, froze with her eyes stretched wide in disbelief. ”How...”

She took a step forward, her voice suddenly rising into a furious scream. ”How did you elevate the Path of Severing to this level of power? How did you acquire blood density this high? How did you reach the absolute peak of a high-level Nexus State? How did all of this even happen?!” ”By choosing the right team.”

Rinara answered with an expression frozen like ice, devoid of hesitation. She began to advance calmly. Zzn Koo-an orange star and a newly formed blue star manifested above her nine tails, snapping into place and completing their full formation. ”Do you regret your path now?” ”Never!!”

Elenorʼs eight tails flared with blinding light as they began generating stars of their own. Yet their speed wasnʼt even close-barely half of Rinaraʼs- which only caused Elenorʼs fury to boil over even more violently. ”If not for me, the Empire of the Nine Paths would have collapsed the moment our father died. If not for me, you wouldnʼt have been able to sit on your throne, obs g your clothes spotless for hundreds of thousands of years. If not for me, you never wouldʼve taken a single step forward- or have the opportunity to debase yourself by wiping your existence on Robin Burtonʼs boot!” ”Whether you like it or not, I am the one who created you. Even now, as you throw away the rights of our bloodline and degrade yourself by serving another, everything you possess-every scrap of strength, status, and survival- exists because of me!” ”That strong, detached façade doesnʼt suit you, Rinara. Show me the cowardly, crying, endlessly whining girl I know. Show me the girl who depends on everyone except herself just to stay alive!”

Rumble-

Rinara moved forward, floating effortlessly ahead, her arms still folded before her chest. She looked down at Elenor from above, her expression carrying raw anger-alongside a faint, cutting trace of pity. ”The crying, whining Rinara died the day I learned of your betrayal...”

In the next instant, an overwhelming killing intent erupted within her eyes, dense enough to suffocate the space between them. ”What about an Emperorsʼ Slayer Rinara?” ”Kiieh!!”

In the skies above Kraithorn- ”Damn it!!”

The planetary emperor surged forward with rocket-like propulsion, forcing his power to spike as he tried to exploit the narrow opening he had spotted between overlapping Nexus States.

But-

Swoosh Swoosh

Multiple attacks converged on him from every direction at once, sharp and perfectly timed, forcing him to abruptly reduce his speed just to narrowly evade each incoming strike.

Then voices rang out one after another, cold and merciless: ”Donʼt make this difficult for us-or for yourself.” now, and weʼll grant you a quick death.” ”As if Iʼd listen to you!!”

The planetary emperor resumed his upward charge after a delay that lasted several tense moments. Another furious glare toward those surrounding him stole a few more precious seconds, his expression twisted with rage and defiance.

These people... he knew every single one of them.

Nexus States affiliated with the Cradle Empire-wing leaders who were supposed to be gathered on the planet Orgenos to wage war against the Millennial Seven Thrones Empire. And yet, against all expectations... they were all here!!

But it didnʼt matter. None of it mattered right now.

He had no intention of fighting them head-on. All he needed was to break through and reach open space-once there, his mobility and escape potential would increase by an overwhelming margin!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The planetary emperor repeatedly struck the air beneath him with his foot, each impact detonating like thunder. The protective atmosphere of planet Kraithorn rippled and cracked under the force, sacrificed willingly in exchange for brutal surges of speed. ”Damn it, are you trying to destroy your own planet?” ”Stop right now!!”

Swoooosh-! Boom!

Three additional Nexus States appeared almost simultaneously, raising the number surrounding the Planetary Emperor of the Centennial Twilight Spectrum to seven. Even so, it was painfully clear-they wouldnʼt be able to seal the sky in time.

This was the inherent flaw of attempting to encircle a Nexus State.

Even hundreds of thousands of individuals could not truly close the heavens to prevent escape. At best, they could spread out at uneven distances, launch continuous attacks, and gradually tighten the pressure. And the more seasoned and powerful the target was, the more impossible the task became.

That was exactly why the three imperial Nexus States of the Twilight Spectrum had once failed to prevent Rinara -alone- from breaking free into space when she had previously been surrounded!

The planetary emperor of the Twilight Specters understood this better than anyone.

And so he continued kicking upward-Bam! Bam!

Each strike sent violent tremors through the atmosphere.

Each strike pushed him closer to the narrow gap that promised escape.

Each strike-

Slash- ”Huh...?”

A strange sensation suddenly washed over him. Cold. Unnatural. Then another feeling followed-wetness.

What is this...?

He watched in a daze as droplets of deep crimson liquid drifted slowly across his vision. Hm? And... who is that?

Then, at the very edge of his perception, he saw something else.

A figure clad in armor darker than void itself-so black that even his skin seemed to absorb light. Four sharply pointed ears protruded from his head, and a single dark eye stared back at him, filled with countless tiny white dots... like distant stars scattered across a moonless sky.

The vision lasted no more than a fraction of a fraction of a second before the figure vanished without a trace.

Oh... I know, the planetary emperor realized belatedly.

The shadow swords... black... beam...

Almost instinctively, his hand rose to his neck.

Blood poured freely between his fingers, warm and unstoppable. Yet he continued his upward rush, refusing to slow, refusing to acknowledge the wound.

Even so... the light in his eye was steadily fading.

His speed dropped, subtle at first-then undeniable. ”Haha, got you!”

One of the Nexus States finally closed the distance. He raised a massive war hammer high above his head and brought it crashing down-Bam!-onto the back of the planetary emperorʼs skull. ”Well done!!”

Another Nexus State surged upward from below, slamming a devastating punch into him. The impact shattered the entire lower row of the emperorʼs teeth, sending fragments scattering into the void.

Then came the third.

Then the fourth.

The fifth.

The sixth.

The seventh.

That region of the sky was sealed completely. Nothing remained but a cluster of Nexus States batting the broken body of the Planetary Emperor of the Twilight Spectrum between them.

Like a pod of orca whales playing with a seal in its final, hopeless moments.

Is this... my end...?

Baaaaaam-

Where... did I misjudge?

Taaaakh-

No... I refuse to-

Slash- ”Tsk-You really wore us out, brother.”

One of the Nexus States cleanly severed the emperorʼs head from his body. He lifted it calmly, staring into the lifeless eyes of the fallen ruler. ”This is what happens to someone who thinks he can play every string at once during wartime,” he said coldly. ”Remember it... in your next life.”

On the opposite side of the planet-

The royal uncle successfully breached the planetary atmosphere, vanishing into the vastness beyond.