Chapter 861

Upon realizing the identity of the bastard, everything finally made sense.

Why he appeared so suddenly.

Why I couldn't use my fire techniques after encountering him.

"It was you."

The Gu Flames Firewheel Technique—the core technique of the Gu family that allowed me to wield flames.

That was him.

I didn’t understand why he bore the appearance of my past self, nor why he suddenly started this madness. But what mattered was that I had uncovered his identity.

“…Ugh…”

I grabbed the arm that was gripping my throat.

I had blasted him with enormous energy several times, yet there wasn’t the slightest sign of fatigue on him.

Of course, there wouldn’t be. As the embodiment of energy itself, he couldn’t tire.

“…You were fine all this time, so why the hell are you going crazy now?”

I spoke as I desperately searched for a way out.

“Did I do something wrong? I treated you well enough.”

I may not have cherished him, but I treated him as indispensable. And yet, he comes now to stab me in the back? How could I not be furious?

At my irritated protest, he spoke.

"I must have told you."

Crack.

“Gahk.”

The pressure on my neck increased.

"This is a proof of qualification."

Proof of what? What qualification?

And then—

“…If I can’t prove it, you’ll just take my body for yourself?”

I asked, curling my lips into a smirk. He mirrored my expression.

"If you lack the qualification, it’s only natural to take what must be taken."

“This is outright theft, you bastard.”

After all the effort I’d put into living my life, he thought he could just take it away? It was maddeningly unfair.

"If you dislike it, prove yourself. Prove you have the right to wield the flames."

What was I supposed to do? His words rolled in my ears as my thoughts raced. My strength was nearly depleted.

From the point where his grip held my neck, my power wasn’t flowing properly.

Proof of qualification. Achieving something I couldn’t even comprehend felt absurd in this situation.

"You’ve sealed my flames, and now you’re demanding proof?"

If he wanted proof, shouldn’t he give me a fair chance? Demanding I prove I can ignite flames while blocking my ability to use them?

It was absurd.

Fwoosh! Heat radiated from in front of me.

He had flames wrapped around his hand.

It was the same as before. That hand had pierced my heart once.

Back then, I had regained consciousness at the brink of death, nearly falling into inner demons.

What would happen this time?

He had said there would be no second chance.

So if it happened again, would he truly steal my body this time?

The likelihood was high. My instincts told me this was my last chance.

"I have to find a way."

I had to escape somehow. Proof, qualifications—none of that mattered while I was shackled like this.

Physical strength wouldn’t work. This called for ingenuity.

“…I don’t see any options.”

No matter how I tried, I couldn’t find a way out. At this rate, I was in real danger.

Fwoosh! The heat from his hand grew stronger. I still had energy, but even if I unleashed my aura, I knew it wouldn’t stop him.

“Damn it.”

I couldn’t help but grit my teeth. Even so, I kept thinking, kept trying to find a way.

[...]

As I focused on the one fleeting opportunity, he spoke again.

"Your vessel has reached its limit. I had some expectations, but you are as insignificant as I thought."

I didn’t respond. Bit by bit, I drew energy up from my heart.

I waited for an opening when he attacked. That was the only option left.

All my focus honed in on that single moment.

"Blame your own inadequacies and fade away."

He moved his shoulder. I narrowed my eyes. Was it now? My senses zeroed in on him.

And then—

"If I take your body, the worthless women around you will be dealt with first."

Snap.

Those words broke my concentration.

“…What did you just say?”

I couldn’t have misheard, yet I asked again. A chill ran down my spine.

“What did you just say?”

The pain in my throat ceased. My stiffening joints returned to normal.

I gripped the hand holding my arm with all my strength.

“What did you just say, you bastard?”

Boom!

A murderous intent erupted from my heart, spreading in all directions like mist.

Amid the cloud of killing intent, he spoke to me.

"Did you not understand, or do you simply refuse to acknowledge it?"

The more my killing intent intensified, the more vivid his purple eyes became.

"The women around you hold no value. You keep them close merely to ease your useless guilt. It’s nothing but meaningless atonement, and you must know that."

“…So? If you take my body, you’ll kill them all?”

He laughed. A bright, carefree laugh.

"No need to go out of my way."

“What?”

"It’s already underway."

“…!”

My eyes widened. Already underway?

A chilling realization set in, and my breathing grew shallow.

Wooooooong!

A massive white orb floating in the air began to vibrate.

It had been glowing silently, but now it moved. I couldn’t afford to care about it.

"This is the end for you."

The flames surged forward, aiming for my heart.

Thud!

Before his hand reached my chest, I grabbed his arm.

"Hmm?"

He tilted his head in confusion, just as surprised as I was.

I had caught it.

The flames burned my hand, but they were bearable. It wasn’t difficult to restrain him either.

What was going on? I didn’t know. But instead of questioning it, I focused on what I could do.

Crunch!

I twisted his flame-covered arm, snapping it.

As it broke, he recoiled, and I tore away the arm that had been gripping my neck.

Sizzle.

His overwhelming strength was undeniable, but I managed to remove it without much effort.

[...]

One arm twisted, the other torn away.

He glanced at me with an unusual expression, then murmured quietly, not at me but elsewhere.

"…What a futile effort."

Where was he looking? I didn’t care.

“Hah…”

An unfamiliar power boiled within me.

Was it from my middle dantian? Lower dantian? Or perhaps somewhere higher?

I couldn’t tell.

The pain had long since faded.

What was this?

Wooooooong!

The vibrating sound drew my gaze upward. The orb floating in the air trembled more violently.

And as it did—

Fwoosh!

The energy coursing through my body grew stronger.

"It’s that."

That was the source of this strange power, flowing into me from there.

But what was it?

What could possibly be granting me this power now? The situation was full of mysteries. Yet the one thing I knew was—

“I’ll make a promise.”

I lowered my stance and spoke to him.

“No matter what, I’ll kill you.”

Understanding the cause could wait. Using this power came first.

Boom! I shattered the ground as I lunged forward.

I charged at him. The distance between us vanished in an instant.

I twisted my waist, channeling force into every joint.

With both his arms damaged, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself properly. Or so I thought, as I aimed for his chest.

Fwoosh!

Flames erupted from his arms, instantly regenerating them.

He raised them to block my attack.

Boom!

Our auras clashed, sending him skidding backward.

This was different.

He, who hadn’t budged before, was now being pushed back.

I thought to myself:

"Is this a bluff, or is it genuine?"

I didn’t rule out the possibility of it being a feint. But regardless—

"Even if it is, the answer remains the same."

Whether it was a bluff or not, retreat wasn’t an option. I continued to close the distance.

My strength had definitely increased. My speed had doubled, and my power wasn’t lacking.

Boom!

I glimpsed the flames. While being pushed back, he gathered fire between his hands.

Seeing that, I charged even faster.

I threw a punch enveloped in flame—a strike of pure, destructive intent.

Crack!