Rivers of the Night

Chapter 761: Only One (2)

Something inside of Theron roared. Baring its teeth to the world, it pulled on the rays of the sun, separating the darkened clouds of the Umbra Province.

Mana surged as the stars touched the ground, rainbow and light mixing into one as though to hail the arrival of a god amongst men.

Theron took a step in the air, and the winds beneath his feet trembled like solid ground as a giant’s gait swayed. Veins popped along his forearm as his grip tightened, and then he struck out.

Dark and Water Mana pooled, forming into a cyclone of deep indigo colors that surged forward and met the Merchant King’s oncoming fist.

But at that moment, Theron wasn’t seeing the fist, nor even his opponent. It was like he was staring into a monument, a figment of his imagination—one that he wanted to tear down and rip to shreds.

For there to be someone who dared to call themselves King in his presence...

Unacceptable.

BOOM.

Theron’s spear bent on impact, the world collapsing and reforming, only to collapse again.

Mana shattered like thin panes of glass, spiraling energy as sharp as splits in space separating, the two forming a pair of blooming flowers in the air. One side was painted in blacks, blues, and deep indigo and violets. The other was painted in raging crimson and plumes of gold.

A shockwave hit the ground below and collapsed buildings.

Tsunamis of ravaged winds split the skies above them, forming beams of sunrays and pinpoint-sharp lights to peek through the cover of heavy cumulonimbus clouds.

To their sides, a vacuum formed as though all forms of Mana, matter, and energy had been forcefully expelled.

Chi.

The Merchant King’s gauntlet cracked. His pupils constricted into pinholes and his Mana hurriedly surged to make up the gap, but it was already too late.

BOOM.

He was sent flying into the distance, moving so fast more flames formed in his wake, and in little more than the blink of an eye, he had already been sent beyond the limits of the city, crashing outside of the gates and leaving large, long trails in his wake.

The trenches of earth formed by his body began to melt due to the high heat and friction of his collapse. Lava pooled down its sides, sizzling and steaming in rivers of destruction.

Theron raised his head to the skies and roared so forcefully a vortex of winds formed around him. The dark clouds that managed to survive rumbled as though the Heavens were responding.

But it wasn’t in kind. Instead, it was as though they were warning of something, so Theron gave them his own response.

He took another step forward, his arms flexing, veins popping along his forearms. His spear practically became a lance with the sheer density of Mana flowing around it. Forming into a tip of violence and menace, he thrust it forward.

The vortex of Mana expanded rapidly, and a hole was blown through the skies. In that moment, what blue remained vanished. Instead, it was like a portal to the depths of outer space had been opened before Theron’s strike.

All around the vortex of destruction were heavy clouds and lines of sun rays and blue skies. But right in the center of it all, there were twinkling stars and an expanse of black.

The rumbling of the clouds came to a stop as the Heavens fell to silence, and all the while, the city itself followed suit.

The palace of the Nightingales trembled in place, barely being held together by what remained of its foundation and structure. But the cultivators that remained inside couldn’t seem to find the care at all. All of their attentions were entirely focused on Theron—and Theron alone.

In the far-off distance, the Merchant King coughed up mouthfuls of blood, his skin burning to the touch of the lava his own body had created. Still, the damage wasn’t nearly as great as what that blow had done to him.

A huge gash was opened up in his armor and chest. The flex of Theron’s spear had reached a breaking point and suddenly whipped out in the last instant of their confrontation. The Merchant King had almost lost his arm entirely, but instead settled for a strike so close to his heart that what remained of his ribs and lungs were cut in two.

The beating exterior of his heart was just barely hidden beneath the blood and gore. Even so, every time he took a breath, the slight increase in its beats could just barely be made out by the naked eye.

Shakily, the Merchant King stood to his feet. To his credit, Theron could already see signs of the wound healing. The Merchant King’s healing factor was, certainly, something to behold.

Unfortunately for the Merchant King, though, Theron’s four Mandates weren’t so easy to expel. If not for the fact Theron had been using Gold Mana just now, there was no way the Merchant King would be able to heal.

If Theron had taken the risk to use Cloud Mana and exposed his [Entangling Blood Vein Pupils], even though the Merchant King was a Dome of Heaven expert, there was simply no chance of him ever healing from such a thing.

Of course, with Theron’s Third Eye having characteristics of a soul even beyond King Mancy, even if he did use his pupils, the Merchant King probably shouldn’t detect anything.

But after seeing the Merchant King’s strength... Theron had a feeling that the danger of this situation was probably a bit higher than he originally speculated. It was probably best that he hide some of his cards.

The Merchant King coughed up another mouthful of blood, his heart coming to an irregular stop for a moment that left him hacking and wheezing. But he still eventually stood to his feet, a bloodied grin on his face.

He had actually lost... how unbelievable.

The sound of footsteps clicked through the streets. A sedan veiling the bride within moved forward as though it didn’t sense the destruction ahead at all.