There is one day left until the ceremony.
"how's it going?"
Pushing open the door, looking at Zhou Li who was sitting on the stone staring at the stone above his head, Eluma, holding hot milk, asked: "Are you used to this place?"
"fine."
Zhou Li looked at Eluma and nodded, "Except for the strangeness of not being able to see the sun, everything else is fine."
"Yeah···"
Eluma handed the milk to Zhou Li, then jumped to his side and sat side by side with him. Looking at the suspension bridge not far away, Eluma took a sip of hot milk and asked, "Are you worried about the gods?"
Eluma could tell that Zhou Li had been a little uneasy since he confirmed that he would become the Black Emperor. Sometimes, he can't help showing a worried expression. Eluma rarely sees him like this. On weekdays, Zhou Li can always give people the most reassuring feeling. Whether it is his temperament or acting style, people will subconsciously believe in him.
But this time, for some reason, Zhou Li was always absent-minded.
"fine."
Zhou Li took the hot milk and did not drink it immediately. Instead, he looked at the stone cup in his hand with some concentration. After a brief silence, he said, "It just feels a little unreal."
"Um?"
Eluma was a little surprised. She didn't expect Zhou Li to feel this way. She tilted her head and asked with some confusion: "Why do you say that?"
"I don't really know either."
Zhou Li stretched out his fingers to scratch his cheek, and smiled weakly, "I just feel something is not right for some reason, and everything feels unreal. It should be because I haven't slept well recently, so it's okay."
"Be sure to take care of yourself."
Eluma drank the milk in one gulp and held Zhou Li's hand. Her fair cheeks were full of seriousness and worry, "I know you will have a burden, which is inevitable. But don't be afraid, I will be there for you." Around."
"I know."
Zhou Li smiled and nodded. Of course he knew Eluma's determination and knew that she would accompany him. But for some reason, he has been restless since he came to the land of Hades, as if...
There is an invisible voice that is telling me something.
Shaking his head, Zhou Li shook off this weird feeling. He knew that he couldn't show his cowardice now, as he was about to perform a ritual. If he, as the protagonist of the ritual, felt flinched, the confidence of others would also decrease. Zhou Li took a deep breath, then twitched the corner of his mouth and said to Eluma, "I will adjust my mentality."
"I'll be with you."
Eluma left no room for Zhou Li to refuse. She knew the other party very well and knew that what Zhou Li needed at this time was not alone but company. She drank the milk in the cup and sat next to Zhou Li. She didn't say much and just stayed with her silently.
At the top of the castle, Shuangye sat on the eaves. This was a place with an excellent view, with an unobstructed view of the entire Hades. She lowered her head, her eyes fell on Eluma and Zhou Li, and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised.
so good···
In every life, Futaba will eat the same dog food at different points in time. After all, Zhou Li and Eluma can be said to be a match made in heaven. No matter which life, no matter what Eluma's character is, in the end, both of them will be together. can come together. However, those beautiful days are too short. In every life, they will face the final battle after confiding their feelings, and the ending is self-evident.
This time, let's make it a little longer.
Closing her eyes and feeling the power of faith continuously provided by the Hades Empire, Futaba didn't feel any nostalgia at all. To her, this world is ultimately false and an unrealistic timeline. Even if she lost the Hades Empire, she would only lose an insignificant existence in her long life.
Fake, always fake.
*******************************
The Black Emperor's coronation ceremony is essentially a ceremony of handing over power to someone he trusts. There are only two prerequisites for this ceremony, one is a witness and the other is the Black Emperor's wish.
"Does the witness only need one person?"
Eluma looked at Zhou Li and Shuangye and said worriedly: "Can I?"
"The Black Emperor's authority is not as complicated as you think."
Shaking her head, Futaba, who was wearing a black luxurious dress, had eyes as bright as the sun. She looked at Eluma and explained softly: "The Black Emperor only needs the witness to have enough [status], and this status is based on It is determined by what the Black Emperor thinks. In my heart, apart from you, only Zhou Li is worthy of being a witness."
The Black Emperor's power is very idealistic. What provides him with strength is the surrender of the people, and what allows the Black Emperor's power to willingly accept separation is the person who the Black Emperor himself recognizes in his heart. In other words, if there is no one recognized by Futaba in this world, then witnesses will never appear.
"The moment I hand over the authority to you, remember, you must choose your executioner."
Eyes falling on Zhou Li, Shuangye said very seriously: "Once the executioner is chosen, it can never be changed. The Black Emperor is not afraid of death, because the faith of the subjects can allow you to reshape your body. However, once the executioner is controlled by someone, If I attack you later, you will die completely and not even your soul will be left."
"Know."
Zhou Li nodded. He had learned about the profession of Black Emperor, and he also knew the weirdness and strangeness of this profession. He looked at Futaba and expressed his doubts.
"If I become the Black Emperor, your power..."
What Zhou Li was worried about was how far Futaba's strength would retreat after he took over the authority of the Black Emperor. He was not worried about lacking the combat power to face the Demon King directly. What he was worried about was that after losing his strength, Futaba would be harmed in the subsequent war.
“It will be regressive, but it won’t be that fatal.”
Turning around, his eyes fell on this small piece of land. Futaba's eyes moved slightly and he said softly: "The strength will drop to that of a demigod, but it is enough."
"Um."
Zhou Li nodded. Although he didn't know much about Futaba in this life, after learning that Futaba had experienced four lives and fought with him for four lives, he had an inexplicable feeling towards the girl in front of him. A familiar feeling, even a sense of connection.
"Time is up."
When the bell rang in the distance and echoed in this underground cave, black mist suddenly appeared on Futaba's body. After a brief period of concentration and reorganization, a black mist knight whose appearance was unclear appeared behind Futaba. The knight knelt on one knee, his armor shrouded in black mist filled with an abyss-like solemn atmosphere.
"Her name is Bai."
Looking at the Black Mist Knight aside, a gentle emotion flashed in Futaba's eyes, "The Black Mist Knight is also the most important power of the Black Emperor. Zhou Li, when you become the Black Emperor, Bai will follow in your footsteps."
"I see."
Zhou Li nodded. There is only one Black Mist Knight, and it will never dissipate. Even if the emperor dies, she will only fall into a deep sleep. She will reappear when the next Black Emperor appears. For the Black Emperor, the Black Mist Knight is the most powerful middle force.
"The content of the ceremony is very simple."
Slowly walking to the middle of the six-pointed star, she was wearing a luxurious black dress that was complicated and mysterious. The overlapping black gauze vaguely covered the ubiquitous black mist. Traces of the Black Emperor's crown appeared on the smooth and white forehead. Shuangye stretched out her hand towards Zhou Li, her voice was cold and elegant, making people unconsciously want to surrender at her feet.
"Kiss the back of my hand and receive my crown."
Inhaling and exhaling, Zhou Li suppressed the lingering tension and doubts in his heart. He glanced at Eluma beside him. After getting a look of affirmation, Zhou Li blinked hard, and then slowly walked towards Futaba among the six-pointed stars.
Standing in front of Futaba, Zhou Li slowly knelt down on one knee. He held up the back of the hand Futaba gave him. The mark of the Black Emperor appeared on Futaba's perfect right hand like a work of art, and on her slender Ruyu's fingertips also had a faint black aura.
The originally golden eyes began to be covered by a dark mist. Soon, symmetrical and mysterious black lines spread on the white skin, making the girl's originally childish beauty instantly occupied by supreme majesty.
"By order of the Black Emperor."
At this time, Futaba's voice carried an ethereal and chaotic echo. Her bare feet stood up gently, her white toes showing pink curled up slightly. As her voice slowly flowed, a thick black mist appeared around Futaba.
"Grant the supreme crown to those whom I agree with."
The moment the words fell, the crown lines on Futaba's forehead began to slowly condense. After a ubiquitous rubbing sound, a dark pearl appeared between the two. Looking down at Zhou Li, Shuangye's abyss-like black eyes gradually revealed more silver lines.
boom! ! ! ! ! !
Just when the jet black jade was about to touch Zhou Li's forehead, a violent roar interrupted everything.
what happened?
Neither Zhou Li nor Futaba could react. During the ceremony, their ability to sense the outside world was much worse. Just when the top of the fortress that was destroyed by the explosion was about to fall on their heads, Eluma suddenly appeared like lightning. Beside the two of them, along with a cooing sound, a curtain of holy light enveloped the three of them.
"Saint Seal of Protection!"
The boulder mixed with mithril hit the curtain, and its demon-breaking properties made the curtain dim immediately. Eluma did not stop her movements, she raised her hands vigorously, and a cross shield made of pure light and energy appeared on her arm. Facing the mithril boulders falling like raindrops, Eluma gritted her teeth and jumped up with all her strength, and a city wall enveloping the entire ritual area appeared above their heads.
The city that never falls!
Zhou Li and Shuangye knew that great changes must have taken place outside, but they did not stop, but accelerated the process. This surprising tacit understanding created some resonance between the two. They both understood that the other party already knew the person who caused the accident.
Gods...there are only gods.
Gritting his teeth and enduring the feeling of his soul being torn apart, Zhou Li began to force his body to accept the black pearl in front of him. Futaba also began to use all his strength to peel off the Black Emperor's Crown from his body.
"Roar!!!!!!!!"
A strange sound that was neither human nor ghost sounded. Suddenly, Eluma seemed to see a strange tree appearing on the stone bridge not far away from the castle gate.
It's not a tree, it's something big and black, just squatting there, as if waiting for something, its rope-like arms squirming and stretching. That thing that appeared in the woods was black, sticky, and tree-like with a lot of ropes. It climbed up, squirming on the ground with its hooves and mouth and snake-like arms.
The twisted, malicious, huge and strange creature spread on the top of the tower. Only a ruined wall was left in the originally bright tower, as well as an outrageous dark atmosphere, and the dark red sticky liquid kept flowing on the ground. The liquid also exudes a disgusting stench.
When the bitter fruit of death fell upon the earth, He appeared.
Numerous bony legs with round suckers support a huge milky white shape... It has no limbs and arms, but only three sharp spines sunk deep into the ground.
But its head is even more disgusting - layers of white gelatinous material are covered with swollen, round eyes, and in the middle is a huge beak full of sharp teeth... Its head His head was squirming and shaking in disgust, and his swollen eyes looked in different directions.
He is the only eternal believer in the hands of the God of Death - Moon Dancer.
Yes, this monster that is full of disasters that causes people pain has such an elegant and delicate name.
Moon Dancer's compound eyes raised, and three sharp spines slowly rose up, like a devout believer praying to his god. When the terrifying sound like the screams of evil ghosts and skeletons broke through the sky, the entire fortress was suddenly filled with a faint twisted halo, and blood and misfortune condensed in the air. The strange aura that blocked out the sky swallowed up all the bright moss. When darkness fell, Moon Dancer threw the waning moon aside carelessly, and stared at the three people in front of her with her compound eyes full of cruelty and madness.
The messenger of the God of Death, the Devourer of the Waning Moon, the Scythe of Harvesting Life, and the source of strangeness - Moon Dancer.
"I'm here to fight, don't stop!"
After Eluma left these words, she activated all the power in her body, and one after another power representing God's gift appeared around her. Eluma held the long sword created by the holy light and said nothing. Rush towards the Moon Dancer.
【Ho...】
Moon Dancer watched the tiny human rushing toward her, a mocking expression appearing on the weird and terrifying face, and her sickle-like feet waved at random, and the aura of death and badness directly swallowed Eluma's body.
"Eluma!!!"
Zhou Li and Futaba both sensed everything that happened behind them, and without any hesitation, they both ended the ceremony at the same time and wanted to rescue Eluma.
However, when the two of them finished the ceremony and subconsciously wanted to rush forward, they stopped.
Eluma has lost all vital signs.
Seeing Eluma, who was pierced through the heart by the Death Scythe and floating in mid-air without breathing, both Zhou Li and Futaba felt unprecedented despair and anger.
Restarted, not enabled.
(End of chapter)
