Chapter 147: Red and Black (Part Nine)
Across the street, in the direction where Cardinal Nero stood, a dazzling light suddenly burst forth, illuminating the houses and the street like all the suns decided to have a rave party. I was taken aback and swiftly turned my head.
The golden glow wasn’t blinding, but I could vaguely see two figures enveloped within it—Nero had somehow regained some mobility out of nowhere! He raised his hand, summoning a blazing white orb from the flow of light. Just as Angel decided to become a fearsome ninja and darted behind him, Nero whacked his own chest in a gesture that screamed, “Look at me, I’m now a combat-ready chef!”
Everything escalated in the blink of an eye.
I barely had time to register what was happening, let alone figure out how Nero had managed to shake off the “muck” holding him down. Was it a miracle? A ninja yoga class? But before I could ponder further, Carlos shouted urgently beside me, “Get down!”
Danger signals tripped my internal alarm system. Without thinking twice, I activated Moon Step and dove to the side. At the same time, Carlos transformed into a bolt of lightning, rocketing across to the opposite side of the street.
Buzz—
In the next moment, a dazzling energy beam shot out from about Nero’s chest area, sweeping across the very spot we had just vacated.
In a heartbeat, the entire street turned into a disaster zone, houses crumbling as if made of soggy cardboard, getting shredded to bits by the white light. The once-solid street became a scorched chasm, dirt flying up into the air like I’d just activated a volcanic eruption, energy spreading and obliterating everything for several blocks, all while the ground thundered as if it were auditioning for a heavy metal band.
My body was still hanging in the air, not even close to landing.
Suddenly, a wild wind tore through, practically slapping my face.
Whoosh—!
“Ugh…”
I quickly closed my eyes, shut my mouth, and crossed my arms over my face, feeling like a kite with a broken string flailing chaotically in the storm, soaring higher and higher.
What a persistent old bat, still kicking!
With a whoosh, giant flaming wings unfurled from my back. I channeled the black flames, desperately trying to stabilize myself amidst the howling winds.
The dirt swirling around made it impossible to see, and the bright light still hummed in the street, while a thunderous roar rung in my ears. Amidst this chaos, I heard faint voices beneath the glow.
“Angel.”
The voice was raspy and strange, dripping with disbelief: “You actually… went against the final moment… how could you…”
“Overstepping… altering the Church’s teachings without permission… a serious violation of doctrine. Nero…” Angel replied slowly, his tone casual yet icy enough to send shivers, “Are you prepared for the consequences of crossing me?”
The howling wind began to d*e down, and their conversation sharpened into focus.
“Bwahahaha—”
“I didn’t think I’d still be alive if I could stand here…”
“You’ll suffer unimaginable pain.”
“What could possibly be more painful than this…”
I hovered in the air, slowly opening my eyes.
Below, a burst of white light erupted again from the rooftops where Nero and the Pope were.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, chunks of buildings were instantaneously blown apart in a pale haze. Debris flew everywhere, and the shockwave radiated from the street below like a tsunami of destruction.
“Ugh.”
Dust flew into my mouth, and I spat it out, grimacing as I fanned my wings, struggling to ascend through the chaotic remnants of the blast.
Caw—
A bright birdcall echoed through the air.
Then, with a flash of golden light, a gigantic golden bird flapped its wings, sharp feathers fluttering as Angel stood upon the bird’s back, gliding effortlessly. One hand held a glowing orb above his head like he was auditioning for a talent show, while the other clutched Margaret’s shattered bone necklace, looking like a divine being, if you could overlook the flowing robe that resembled bedwear and the spotty patterns on it… Truly, a sight to behold.
He snagged the Divine Reliquary…
What a prime opportunity to take him down!
Realizing this, I spread my fiery wings, hovering nearly a hundred meters above the ground, scanning the smoke-filled street below.
Whoosh—
In the next instant, the piercing whistle of a wind-breaking shot came hurtling toward me, a bright white energy spear zooming straight for my face.
There it is!
Zoom!
I dodged the light spear just in time, the surging wind sending me staggering, but I used that gust to flap my wings, spinning in mid-air and plunging down with a “Boom!”
Immediately, a second light spear shot through the scattered dust, coming at me again.
Oh no…
I was plummeting fast, feeling like I was on a collision course with the light spear. I couldn’t get out of the way now, and even the protective reflexes were nowhere to be found. The howling winds were upon me when suddenly, I crashed into an invisible barrier and it exploded in front of me.
It’s Angel…
Whoosh—!
A chaotic maelstrom raged in front of me, and energy surged wildly around me, taking over my vision with blinding white.
In less than a second, I broke through the exploding energy. Dead Smoke erupted around me, swirling and mingling into a ball that streamed forward with a blazing tail, charging into the rising clouds of dust with a flying kick like a shooting star aimed at the street below.
Boom—!
Rubble exploded everywhere.
I smashed into the ground, creating a massive crater as a booming echo reverberated in my ears. Almost my entire calf sank into the cracked Bluestone, burying itself in the mud below—completely whiffed it.
Clang, clang!
From my left, I heard two sharp clangs of metal colliding.
Quickly withdrawing my foot from the ground, I turned to look, catching sight of Carlos in the center of the street, slowly emerging from the dissipating dust, electric blue lightning crackling around him like he was auditioning for an energy drink commercial.
“Carlos, get out of the way!”
I yelled, stepping out with Moon Step, swirling with a dense tide of Dead Smoke, rushing towards the golden light while hitting the ground and raising my arms overhead, igniting scarlet flames from my clenched fists.
“d*mn it…”
Carlos swore lightly, hastily retreating into the distance.
In the next heartbeat, I sprang upward, my raised arms crashing down like a mighty hammer toward the glowing figure.
Clang, bang, boom—!
Nero raised his arm to block, and that strike hit his forearm with a clang louder than any drama queen’s comeback. The heated Infernal Fire surged like an explosive torrent from the impact, engulfing the golden glow in an instant.
Still can’t control it properly…
My arms tingled as I swiftly leaped back four or five meters, shaking my limbs before focusing my gaze ahead.
The fiery surge blew away the smoke around me, the Infernal Fire crackling on the street, melting the Bluestone. Nero was caught amid the burning flames, looking about as collected as a cat in a bathtub.
“Cough—”
He stumbled, bl**d spilling from his mouth.
My grin widened.
Feeling hot…
But even if I was uncomfortable, I wouldn’t give him a moment to breathe.
Whoosh—
In the next instant, dense Dead Smoke surged from my feet again, the burning wings enveloping my body. I exhaled a deep breath, black smoke and red light beginning to swirl from my mouth. The flames climbing my arms glanced into life again.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—
The sprawling Dead Smoke wrapped around the Infernal Fire, twinkling like stars in a nebula of chaos. The powers of red and black intertwined, shifting shapes in the air, resembling a terrifying monster hell-bent on incinerating everything in its path.
This feeling…
I unleashed my Moon Step, surging forward like a hurricane, ripping the road apart into a charred trench as I aimed a straight punch at Cardinal Nero.
Boom!
Crash—!
