A Desperate Gamble and a Sudden Revelation

‘I’m alive… am I?’ A profound joy of escaping certain death swelled within Chongyun. Undoubtedly, he had won this audacious gamble; the girl, suspected to be Vanguard, indeed adhered to a strict rule: never to kill a “human”.

However, merely deactivating Fafnir was not enough to escape the immediate threat. The grey-haired girl remained vigilant, her gaze fixed on him, her eyes brimming with confusion and uncertainty. This prompted him to swiftly enact his next plan.

“Uh-ah… uh-ah…” He let out a few agonizing groans, then laboriously crawled to his feet. Yet, after only a few steps, he collapsed to the ground as if all strength had drained from him, holding his breath, utterly still.

This was the pinnacle of martial arts — “playing dead”.

‘I’m sure my performance is convincing enough to fool her…’

“Hmm? What is this…?” Perplexed by the inexplicable retreat of Shadow, Liu Yu furrowed her delicate brows, meticulously scrutinizing the man on the ground. Finally, she arrived at a startling conclusion: “This fellow… he’s actually human?!”

For some unknown reason, she could detect no trace of Black-blooded essence from the man lying prostrate on the ground. Only moments ago, a monstrous presence had been here, yet it had vanished without a trace in an instant.

No wonder Shadow had retreated on its own.

When Liu Yu did not issue a direct command, Shadow would instinctively contract when confronting an individual it identified as human.

“Dead… or just unconscious?” Liu Yu lifted her small foot and nudged the fallen man’s head. Once she confirmed he was unresponsive, a flicker of boredom crossed her face.

‘This feeling of her opponent falling before she even exerted herself was simply too dull.’

‘And hadn’t she seen this guy somewhere before? He felt vaguely familiar…’ Doubt stirred within Liu Yu’s mind. She pondered deeply, staring at the man’s back, but her thoughts yielded no corresponding memory.

‘Could overusing Shadow actually damage one’s brain?’

Though she yearned to make sense of the situation, the scent of Bloodkin wafting nearby reignited the girl’s appetite. She instinctively licked her lips.

Not all Black-blooded were created equal. For Liu Yu, Bloodkin held a far greater allure than any other Black-blooded she had encountered. This distinction was also evident with Elves, who were likewise Black-blooded.

At least, the Liu Yu of the past wouldn’t have felt such an overwhelming hunger for Tina.

Of course, that might not be true anymore.

In a way, if that metallic monster hadn’t been carrying Titan and constantly fleeing, Liu Yu wouldn’t have pursued them so relentlessly.

‘Well… at most, she’d simply postpone dealing with him until after she had devoured Titan. After all, he was still a Black-blooded, and not killing him would leave a lingering sense of dissatisfaction.’

All efforts deserved their reward.

Now, it was time to savor the exquisite taste…

Her keen, hawklike gaze swept across her surroundings, and Liu Yu quickly spotted the Bloodkin man attempting to squeeze into a large hole, clearly intending to flee the scene.

‘Oh, you want to run, do you?!’

‘She had already let the small fry go. If this one managed to escape as well, she definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.’

A surge of anxiety gripped Liu Yu’s heart at the thought. She no longer cared what the “human” lying on the ground was. She swiftly pursued Titan from behind and roared in a sharp voice: “Don’t even think about escaping!”

Then, without a shred of mercy, she brought down her demonic blade!

****

The tides of battle had turned in an instant. Chongyun’s defeat had been far swifter than Titan could have ever imagined. By the time he registered what was happening, his body had already plummeted to the ground along with the fallen Fafnir.

There was no time to revel in the joy of being freed from control. Instead, the girl’s terrifying, predatory gaze immediately followed, extinguishing his fleeting exhilaration.

‘Is she seeing Chongyun and me as allies?’

Still oblivious to the truth, Titan mistakenly believed the “fake Vanguard’s” target was Chongyun’s faction, and thus remained completely unaware that he himself was a target.

Capitalizing on their momentary standoff, he slyly slipped into a large hole, circling behind the wall, and made his way towards the outside.

Combustion Syndrome had already been dispelled by the confident Chongyun, so now, if he could just escape her line of sight, he might get away completely…

“Don’t even think about escaping!?” Alas, fate had other plans. Before he could even attempt to explain himself or surrender, the girl’s sharp cry and the whistle of her demonic blade rang out simultaneously, sending shivers down his spine and plunging him into grave peril.

‘I’ll die… If that attack lands, I’ll definitely die… What should I do…?’

Time seemed to halt. He racked his brain, desperately searching for a way out, his gaze finally settling on the fallen Chongyun.

‘Is he still alive? Of course, he is! If he were dead, the interference of the Fallen Divine Blood would have long since ceased. So, don’t get confused, keep your mind clear!’

“Uncle!” he roared, his voice hoarse: “Hurry!”

****

…

…

Chongyun heard Titan’s desperate plea.

He struggled to open his eyes.

‘No… The Association must not get their hands on Titan… Even if he escapes, he absolutely cannot be captured by the Association…’

He recalled a piece of unverified gossip he had overheard in “Greywind” some time ago. Coupled with the fact that “Parallel Worlds” had long since collapsed due to “humanity’s” actions.

It was almost certain: Titan was a “transmigrator” who had arrived in this world from an “alternate world” that should never have intersected with their own.

All the pieces of information clicked into place. ‘Could the Association’s plan in “Greywind” truly be…?’

Chongyun suddenly realized something, his expression shifting dramatically. His heart pounded with urgency. In his desperation, he could no longer maintain his “playing dead” act, and violently coughed up a mouthful of bloody foam.

“Cough, cough, cough, cough…”

Though he had narrowly escaped death at the hands of the fake “Vanguard”, that didn’t mean he was out of harm’s way. The touch-and-wound Shadow had truly invaded his body. Even Fafnir had seemed fragile before that power, let alone an ordinary human.

As he lay prostrate on the ground, besides feigning death, he was also using the Demonic Machine to repair the damage within his body. However, judging by the repair progress, he wouldn’t be able to rejoin the fight anytime soon… So…

A scarlet gem shimmered before his eyes. If he were Bloodkin, he could easily repair himself using the power of Divine Blood. But he wasn’t. Using the Demonic Machine to impersonate Bloodkin, briefly wielding the power of Myth, and sealing away the other Divine Blood was already the absolute limit of what he could achieve. Unless…

“Release.” Knowing there was no other recourse, Chongyun silently uttered the command in his mind, ordering the Demonic Machine to cease its interference with the other Divine Blood.

‘—No matter what, Titan could not be handed over to the Association. Absolutely not!’

“This is…” A red ripple flashed by. A surge of immense power returned to Titan. His expression initially froze in surprise, then transformed into one of ecstatic joy.

The Divine Blood, which had been dormant since Chongyun’s interference, now pulsed with renewed vigor. Without hesitation, he immediately constructed the necessary armaments in his mind, ensuring his survival against the impending assault.

Its name was— “Come on then…”

In a flash, red armor once again enveloped Titan’s entire body. —Armored Explorer Gamma—ONE072.