When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 351: Witch of the Darkest Hour

Chapter 351: Witch of the Darkest Hour

"Hmm...?" Medeia tilted her head as she took in Shen Nianzu’s childish appearance, puzzled yet intrigued by equal measure. "Have I been asleep for too long? You seem a little different than the brazen brat in my memory."

"You...!" Momoko’s anger flared, and she stomped her feet in frustration. "Why are you ignoring me? I’m talking to you!"

Medeia finally turned her attention to Momoko, and although her tone remained sweet and pleasant, the annoyance in her eyes was palpable. "And who might you be, little shortie?"

Momoko grew even more enraged when she heard that, "I am the servant of Khronos, Momoko! How could you not know me when you’re standing on Master Khronos’ territory?!"

"Ah, yeah." Medeia looked like she couldn’t care less about that fact. She waved a dismissive hand at Momoko. "I will remember you from now on. If I’m in the mood, that is."

"You—!"

"She’s a nightmare creature from a high-level Cycle...!" Ying hissed under her breath as she questioned Qiuqiu. "How did you summon someone like her?!"

However, she received no response from Qiuqiu who lay sprawled on the ground. Ying’s face changed as she realized something, and she quickly marched toward Qiuqiu to check on her vitals, her expression turning grim. "She has used up too much energy and gone into a coma."

"W–Who is that?!" Buzz Cut demanded frantically. "She’s supposed to help us, right?!"

Ying’s words managed to snap Shen Nianzu out of his reverie and allow him to gain a semblance of composure. He inhaled deeply and loosened his clenched fists, realizing that his whole body was stiff from the tension.

Something had gone awry with Qiuqiu’s skill card, and she ended up summoning someone who was more than her body could take, causing her to fall into a comatose state. If they did not act fast, then the odds of Qiuqiu surviving would be extremely slim.

Shen Nianzu was aware that a witch’s prophecy – or in this case, curse – before they died would always come true, and he had even imagined countless scenarios how she would appear during his advancement test. But he had not expected her to make use of a player!

Nonetheless, this ended up working in Shen Nianzu’s favor. As long as the prophecy was fulfilled, Medeia’s curse on him would disappear and he no longer had to live on edge. All the preparation he had done and struggles he had gone through to level himself up – they were all for this day. For this final showdown.

Medeia was draining Qiuqiu’s life force with each second she was here. If he defeats Medeia quick enough, Qiuqiu might still be saved. But could he...? Had he grown powerful enough to win against this nightmare creature? Last time, he could do it because Medeia had underestimated him in his child form, allowing him to catch her off guard to deal the fatal strike. But what about this time?

Shen Nianzu shook his head to dispel the doubts in his mind. There was no use dwelling on these matters now. He only had to focus on one thing, and that was to defeat this nightmare creature and get rid of his curse!

The Chrono beasts grew restless with the appearance of the intruder and began to turn toward her, making her their new target. Momoko relished the scene with a contemptuous laugh. "Do you think this place is your territory where you can do everything as you please?" She spat out in distaste. "In your dreams! You’re now under Master Khronos’ watch, so you should obey the rules of this realm!"

As the Chrono beasts pounced on Medeia, Gu Luoxin, Noir and the twins sidled up to Shen Nianzu, their expressions tense and wary.

"Psst, Xiao Shen." Gu Luoxin leaned in close and whispered in a hushed tone. "Do you know her? Was she talking to you just now?"

The two Jin Jiuchis sniffed around him and wrinkled their little noses in repulsion. "Nian’er, you’re carrying her scent with you. It’s so faint and subtle that we didn’t notice it before. Who is she?" Black-haired Jin Jiuchi demanded the answer with a sullen look.

On the other hand, silver-haired Jin Jiuchi seized the opportunity to hug Shen Nianzu from the side and rubbed his face on the crook of Shen Nianzu’s neck before sniffing again. "Why does it still linger?" He whimpered, looking on the verge of tears.

Black lines formed on Shen Nianzu’s forehead as he shoved the two sticky dumplings off him. He gritted his teeth in anger, "What are you, puppies trying to mark their territory?!"

He had no idea what kind of scent Medeia had left on him, but one thing for certain, it was not the kind that only stuck to his skin. No, the witch’s mark was rooted deeper within him, embedded into his soul, and that’s also the reason why she could track him down here. It definitely was not something the twins could get rid of just by rubbing their scents on him!

Huffing, Shen Nianzu told the others, "Step back. This is my battle."

Almost at the same time, Medeia let out a furious scream, the sound echoing through the space with a furious authority. "What kind of brute are you to be so rough with a lady? You’re nothing but puppets who don’t even have a will on your own..." she scowled, the black swirls on her face wiggling as though they had come to life. "And you still dare to challenge me?!"

In the next heartbeat, a stretch of darkness surged out of Medeia’s body as if she had taken command over every shadow in this space and transformed them into voracious entities. It enveloped the surroundings in a dim, foreboding shroud, their form almost tangible in their intensity. Even Momoko’s enraged exclamations sounded like nothing but distant murmurs.

"What the..." Buzz Cut gawked at the creeping darkness that was akin to a predator devouring all in its path. "What the hell is that?!"

"Chirp chirp!" Toki clung onto Gu Luoxin tightly as the darkness engulfed them whole like the crash of a mighty wave.

"Nian’er! Nian’er, where are you?!"

Shen Nianzu could hear the distant voices of the twins calling out to him, but all of his attention was fixed on the figure meters ahead in front of him. Medeia thrived in the dark. The darker a place was, the stronger her spells would be.

However, that also meant that she had one great weakness, and that was light.

As long as the light was overpowering enough, as long as it was intense and powerful enough, Medeia would be suppressed. With resolve, Shen Nianzu summoned the prop he had been saving in his storage just for this moment – the witch’s bane.

A transparent bottle materialized in Shen Nianzu’s palm, its contents a radiant cluster of fragile petals that emitted a dazzling array of colors. It cast an ethereal brilliance amidst the oppressive darkness, illuminating Shen Nianzu’s small figure and his silver hair as if he, too, was shrouded in a celestial halo.

The sudden illumination allowed Medeia to pinpoint her target in an instant. "At last, the irrelevant people are gone," she said, a sinister smile playing upon her lips. "You’d better prepare yourself, brat. I will make sure to return everything a thousand fold!"

"Are you sure?" Shen Nianzu sneered as he clutched the bottle close to his chest. "I defeated you once, who said that I can’t do it for the second time?"

In response to his taunting words, Medeia’s face contorted in an instant. Gone was her malevolent grin, replaced by a glower of profound darkness. "Then we will just wait and see!"

With a piercing cry, she lunged at Shen Nianzu, who promptly unsealed the bottle within his grasp.