Above The Sky
Chapter 313 - 313 295 The Desire Within 24

313: Chapter 295: The Desire Within (2/4) 313: Chapter 295: The Desire Within (2/4) And in the moment he saw the brain cocoon, Ian’s eyes, ears, and nose began to bleed, a drilling, bone-picking kind of pain stabbing directly from his nerve endings into his brain and body, making him unconsciously retreat a step to prevent his body from involuntarily convulsing and twisting.

Even though Ian’s will had become very strong through countless battles, and his body was exceptionally sturdy, this was akin to attacking himself, making it difficult to rely on physical strength to defend.

“…Using microcurrents to stimulate my brain, affecting my nerves, making my own body damage itself, I underestimated you.”

Raising his hand, Ian wiped away the blood from his eyes and nose, the spiritual energy light in his eyes growing more intense, a pale aqua color swirling, even covering his entire body: “I really can’t let you leave this place, otherwise, the destruction you’ll bring could wipe out Harrison Port in an hour.”

Just like Dawnlight City, the threat these high-level magical beasts and spirit energy magical creatures posed was just that great.

Even though the Nest Will had not yet reached the Fourth Power Level of the Hundred-Armed Vine from those years ago, its abilities were even more dangerous.

As long as it capitalized on the right moment, all those without the Primordial Seed Origin Quality would be brainwashed into becoming part of it.

Even Sublimators, when facing it directly, could end up injured or even out of control, just like Ian.

Raising his hand, this time Ian did not draw his sword to approach, but took up the Water Gun instead.

Splish—Crash!

Without any hesitation, he aimed and fired directly, the water bullet carrying Yisen Gard’s corrosive blood streaking through the air in a straight line, shooting towards the cocoon membrane enveloping the Worm Nest’s brain.

Whizz whizz whizz—

Seemingly sensing the danger of this stream of water, a need to intervene arose, and several pitch-black shadows suddenly darted out, blocking the water stream, scattering it.

The corrosive blood caused the tip of these shadows to melt, but it couldn’t truly destroy them.

As expected.

Ian narrowed his eyes; his spiritual premonition had just told him that he must not carelessly approach that seemingly harmless Worm Nest brain.

And observing the top of his head, hidden in his hair was the Frost Butterfly, which, indeed, was covered in black and red.

There was an ambush.

Interestingly enough, Fae like the Frost Butterfly, who lacked much self-will, were unaffected by the Nest Will.

It appeared somewhat languid now, solely because it disliked the Worm Nest’s moist, greasy environment.

Perhaps this was the ecology of the Labyrinth; when the Nest Will grew stronger, the other side’s Primal Fairies were also becoming more powerful.

When the Nest Will wanted to occupy the entire complex of ruins, this group of mindless Little Fairies would become its biggest obstacle to success.

The guards standing in front of the Worm Nest’s brain were several mutants, distorted flesh and blood tangled together to form human shapes, and Ian was very familiar with these figures.

They were the Flesh and Blood humanoids that emerged from the flesh and blood of the Swamp Crocodragon to stop him when he attacked its brain.

Their bodies were composed of a myriad of blood vessels, connective tissues, and nerve tentacles, and their origin was the biomass part of the Worm Nest.

These twisted creatures had neither facial features nor a normal physique.

Their hands were not so much hands, but rather protruding sharp claws, ugly and dangerous.

And at the tip of these slender, sharp claws, droplets of highly poisonous liquid were falling.

They were the last line of defense guarding the will of the Worm Nest.

A fragile line of defense.

Now that the enemy had appeared, the most dangerous moment had already passed.

Ian put down the Water Gun, and with his other hand, he tightly gripped the Heavy Abyss Iron Sword.

Next, he stepped forward, signed, and swept his blade sideways, swinging at the three Flesh and Blood humanoids that were preparing to pounce towards him.

Boom!

With Ian’s sword swing, dust rose at the center of the nest, an indication of crystal flakes and rock debris on the ground attracted by the violent shaking of the Earth Origin Quality.

The Flesh and Blood humanoids screamed as they rushed forward, trying to stop the youth’s momentum, but they could only witness a pale golden sword light cutting through the scattering dust, smashing down on their metal-like bodies.

Thump crack!

A muffled boom sounded; the leading blood vessel tentacle had not even managed to react before Ian’s full-power strike sent its upper body flying, bursting open like a watermelon struck by a professional baseball bat.

To be honest, Ian was hitting such a target for the first time; it felt quite satisfying.

And at the very moment the lead Flesh and Blood figure was sent flying, the youth smoothly twisted his waist, turning around with his sword, accurately delivering a diagonal strike to the monster that had circled behind him, cleaving the Flesh and Blood figure into two on the spot.

Only one last Flesh and Blood figure remained, Ian exhaled a breath, already feeling somewhat tired, the crushing pain in his chest constant and unending.

If it were an ordinary First Energy Level, they would probably have reached their limit by now…

Uh, no, they would have been long dead.

After all, he had just battled with Patrick for a while and had been hit by an alchemical cannon; the fact that he could now kill two flesh-and-blood humanoids of the First Energy Level with two strikes was entirely due to the Sand Armor Apprentice’s ridiculously strong foundational abilities.

Plus, the endless supply of Origin Quality from the Ancient Dragon Core that kept restoring him, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to make two consecutive, powerful strikes.

When it comes down to it, the only weakness of The Unyielding Fortress is that it can’t fly and isn’t very fast.

Yet, every relic and labyrinth in this world is located deep underground or within enclosed environments, even fixed targets like the current Worm Nest Will.

With that being the case, does The Unyielding Fortress still have any weaknesses?

Just steamroll right over them and it’s done!

“Hmm, not a big problem, my lungs weren’t pierced by bone shards; after all, my lungs have been strengthened to nearly the toughness of a resilient rubber, ordinary injuries can’t reach my innards.”

After sensing the condition inside his body, Ian was ready to brace himself to finish off the last flesh-and-blood humanoid.

But when he looked toward another flesh-and-blood humanoid that was preparing to ambush him, he froze for a moment.

Because of the other’s face.

It was a face that combined features from Hiliard, Elder Prude, Yisen Gard, and Master Gossay…

and was still changing, morphing with Ian’s emotions and wavering.

Clang!

He cut the opponent down with his sword, without any hesitation, even unconsciously increasing his strength, directly chopping off the humanoid’s head along with half its torso.

How could he possibly waver over something like this, not to mention just a part, what if it looked exactly like his mentor?

On the contrary, he would cut down such an imposter even more fiercely!

Not even able to take a single sword strike, and it dares to impersonate his mentor?!

But he indeed was shocked for a moment.

And that was an opportunity.

The long-awaiting Nest Will extended its Spirit Energy tentacles into the fissure, making contact with Ian’s psyche.

…It was a wonderful sensation, as if sitting quietly at a small table by the window with someone you like on an afternoon, or wandering the streets at night with good friends…

much like spending every day with family.

Amidst a momentary sting, layer upon layer of illusions began to appear before him, and the surroundings instantly reverted to a thousand years earlier.

In wandering dreams of fire, memories fiercely blazed, transforming into clear and persistent visions.

Suddenly, melodious singing arose.

The youth saw, heard.

During a grand gathering in the subterranean biosphere, members of the Redwoods Tribe clad in four colored garments were singing a song in unison.

Everyone was singing, the four great tribes harmoniously like one big family, nostalgic for the vast world they had never seen, only preserved in the archives of their ancestors, yearning for the world beyond the sealed doors, which they always sought but never reached, that may have already drastically changed.

A golden-haired boy, led by his mother, sat on a corner of the grass, smiling as he gazed at the big screen suspended in mid-air.

On it were blue skies and green seas, twinkling stars and twin moons, churning tides, and drifting snow.

He too sang along, staring at the green plains and lush forests, the birds chirping on the branches, the great whales singing in the ocean, his sky-blue eyes reflecting those scenes, revealing an indescribable longing.

—Blue skies, green seas, insect calls, whale songs, flying birds, white sand beaches, bright sunshine…

And…

The countless stars in the sky.

Yearning, yearning for it all, itching to embrace everything, itching to witness everything with his own eyes.