Chapter 1902 - 1901 - Nowhere to Run

Lind did not remember moving. He did not remember hitting the Bastard. He did not remember removing the sword.

All he was aware of was Haro dissolving into nothing in his arms. Memories flowed so quickly through his mind but most of them were Haro playing with his children.

Unlike flesh and blood, Haro could allow his children to play as hard as they liked until they learned control. A fleeting smile crossed his face as Hei's first words once he could speak were not Mama or Papa but H'ro.

Lind felt the wetness on his cheeks and saw the tears falling but the brief grief was swallowed up by new emotions. Rage was top of the list as he stood up and saw the Fiend was unharmed.

Yet, his white eyes were no longer full of confidence. The damage to the arrays had freed the rest but he had been so close to getting free on his own. The time trap was unexpected but he was well versed in them.

He had almost unraveled it on himself when his senses saw Haro get struck from behind with the sword. He had shattered the restraints and it was still far too late.

There were no taunting words from the Bastard now. They were both well out of trump cards. A few tricks might remain but the 2 enemies just had themselves now.

Lind looked at his small army. They were exhausted and had not been able to recover due to the trap.

"Ethry, lead everyone out of here. You can't stay any longer." Her prismatic eyes were full of denial but she knew he was not wrong. They could not stay. They would be a distraction.

"There is no leaving. I sealed the path behind me and you broke the spatial passage. We are all stuck here until the end." The Bastard spoke matter of factly. It was not taunting, just truth.

Lind could try to reach out to the First but it would give the Bastard a way out. He was as trapped as them either by his own design or the measure Lind added to keep him there.

There was no retreat but the Fiend was still a grave threat. He could recover so long as he touched even one of them.

Lind was fast but the space was not in his favor. He would slam into walls and not be able to quickly change direction if he used his full speed. He also could not cover everyone without draining his dantian faster than the Bastard.

Eternal Realm battles were more about endurance than anything else. The Bastard had an advantage in that particular aspect. Yet, Lind knew both of them were in a corner. Neither side had an absolute lock on victory.

His harmonic Qi was much more dangerous from him directly compared to any of his creations. In fact, he stepped with an exposed leg transformed into a claw on the floor.

The Fiend Qi trying to hold on was completely dispersed as the array was purged.

"You will not give in. I know that, but even you must realize how dangerous I am right now." Lind's voice was cold. Everyone flinched as it was clear his mind was focused on only one goal.

The complete eradication of the Bastard.

The Fiend smiled at him. It was disturbing that he could smile in that situation.

"Do you know how many have stood where you are? I have faced so many that watched their loved ones die and believe their grief and rage could power through. Yet, I am here. They are not." Lind knew that. He knew reality was not that kind.

Still, Lind coldly smiled at the Fiend. His smile made the Bastard falter.

"I think it is past time you stop hiding behind your vanity." Lind slashed outward with his hand and a wave of emerald Qi stripped away his shadowy cover. Unlike other Fiends, the Bastard had no darkly perfect looks. He was average. He was a bit pudgy and seemed feeble now that his shadowy cover was gone.

"Is that what you looked like on old Earth?" Lind was certain but still struck the nerve. The Fiend looked angry but instead of answering, his figure blurred.

Lind was able to track him and the 2 met at long last. The Fiend screamed but he still tried to take Lind's life. It failed.

The pair then went full boar as they began to fight. Shockwaves made the group brace themselves but that was all the attention he could spare.

The brawl of fists was simplistic but it also kept them both engaged solely on the other. There was no time to be crafty or to attack outside of their immediate foe. Lind was able to neutralize the Fiend Qi with ease but his harmonic Qi was not propagating as he hoped it would.

The most he could do was strip away any surface level Fiend Qi and hit the flesh directly.

The flesh sizzled and smoke emerged but that was all he could do. The Bastard really had prepared to face him.

Lind's hands transformed to claws all of a sudden and vile black blood flew in the air. He vaporized it with a thought and for the first time, fear flashed on the Fiend's face.

He backed off and kept the space until his body healed. Lind was frustrated as it was clear his foe was far more experienced in close combat than him. If any doubt remained he had an uphill battle, it was dashed right then.

Still, the Bastard did not seem pleased either.

"You are a monster. The other versions seemed to follow a pattern of getting stronger but you are not like them. You are not the same person at all!" Lind smiled at the words. His other selves had seen the trap their existence had become.

They had pushed Fusion to its limits and learned there was no hope down that path. Thus, they severed the connection to allow a new path. He had no idea how they felt, knowing that essentially one version of him was gone forever.

Yet, it was all worth it as his tail swept the Bastard's feet out from under him. His combat style was all about advantage and chaos. He hoped it would work but the Fiend adapted quickly.

Eventually, they stood apart from each other. Their robes were damaged but little else.

"You are impressive but you are still going to help me ascend! The only value left for you is to–" Lind did not even move as a phantom wolf he had long missed appeared out of nowhere. Prismatic flames, elemental whips, and even the illusion of several worlds flooded the space around them.

Fey slashed through with her 2 blades and the Bastard was the target of them all.

Lind was about to smile when a chill went down his spine. The Bastard seemed to look at them with nostalgia!

He moved quickly and just barely stopped the newly minted Eternal Realm Cyntilla from being killed again! Shoti saved the rest as she seemed to detect the Fiend's response.

"Fast, you are always fast. Did you think these pale imitations could affect me anymore? You are a variable, Lind Frey, but your wives are open books to me." Lind narrowed his eyes at the words.

Not family, but wives? He then smiled as Fey appeared once again. Life and Death danced in sync and the Bastard was caught off guard. He lost an arm as he evaded the attack but she was relentless.

Lind joined in and the 2 of them seemed to finally unsettle the Bastard. He regrew his arm only to lose the other. He summoned a shield but Fey sliced it in half as if it was so much paper!

His wives joined in again to complement them. The group attack pushed the Fiend away from the others as they were still recovering.

Despite the group bringing their all to bear, the Bastard still stood strong. Fey and Lind were his greatest threats yet the others could prevent him from going full throttle at any time.

A stalemate was reached once more.

"Enough. I have grasped what I needed." Lind's eyes snapped wide as he was suddenly pushed aside. Fey's blades sparked as they began to be corroded by Fiend Qi. If he had still been there, he would not have had time to summon any of his remaining weapons at all!

His wives had not reacted in time either but Fey had once again used her aura to shield them just long enough to get moving. He looked up from the floor and saw the Bastard had not moved but the ceiling had slammed down into them!

Every damn surface of the massive hall had been weaponized with finer inscriptions that would be missed even by him!

He had not even felt Fiend Qi at all until he was able to process what had happened!

"Oh? You truly are a supreme warrior young lady. You hid your perception of time from me." The Bastard was gloating now once more. His cautious attitude was gone and Lind knew why.

"KEEP MOVING FEY!" His warning was just in time as several more spikes shot out as if appearing from thin air! She whirled and discarded her now useless swords. Two more appeared that were of an even better quality.

Lind knew it was the best he could do and her last set.

The Fiend did not move as the larger group had lost at least 200 more at that moment!

"You did have me worried there for a moment but ultimately, you are still going to become a part of me. You are only delaying the inev–" A silver fist and violet staff slammed into the Bastard out of nowhere.

A demon exuding blood aura sliced up the Fiend's body. Lind went slack jawed as the Fiend did not even move.

He merely looked at them and then 3 spikes impaled Bloodsight, Violet Cloud, and Shattering Fist.

"Fools. You are mine." Lind moved but it was like he was in mud. Three more people were about to die but then the old woman laughed at the Bastard.

"Too late!" His eyes were confused then he paled as all 3 self-destructed right there! Lind was engulfed in Chu and Ethry's aura as the shockwave fractured the floor and walls further.

He looked up and saw the ceiling was trying to keep attacking but the 3 detonations prevented it! He struck by manipulating Time and the array was quickly disabled.

His friends had made the ultimate sacrifice to give him the best chance! He would not waste it!