Chapter 493: What kind of 'strong'?
「 I AM!!! 」 Yayu kept a tight grip over Sky Crow with one talon while the other talon continued to attack, all the while shouting in frenzy.
「 Damn it, I am a God!!! 」Sky Crow shouted while trying its best to struggle free, the flames exuding from its body had already caused a huge wildfire in the nearby forest, turning their battlefield into a sea of flames: 「 But you really are cute! 」
「 What nonsense are you saying!!? 」Yayu continued its frenzied attack, not expecting this half-man half-crow bastard to still have the mind to pay attention to such a thing in battle.
「 Become my divine consort 」Sky Crow concentrated its flames and released it all at once in an explosion to escape from Yayu's talons. It then flapped its burning wings to stabilize itself in flight: 「 Your earlier form had thoroughly conquered my heart, only a bird of your caliber and strength would be worthy to become my divine consort 」
「 Fucker... 」Yayu's gigantic body grew even larger, flapping its giant wings to produce a gust of wind that carried the majority of oxygen in the area away, snuffing out the huge forest fire that had just been started.
Its gigantic talons once again grabbed hold of Sky Crow and violently swung it on the ground. Its other talon mercilessly plunged into Sky Crow's body, causing the burning magma-like blood to pour out: 「 Keep dreaming, I am male 」
Not knowing if he had made a mistake, Yayu suddenly felt the 'thing' under his talons becoming even more excited as he said that.
「 But I am female! 」Sky Crow tried to puff out her chest, barely showing that there was indeed a bump there.
「 Can't see it at all 」Yayu's talons became bulged up as the Metal Qi inside his body violently surged forward. Because it had combined with his own gigantification ability, his Metal Qi was more suitable for reinforcing his body compared to using it to attack. Naturally, this didn't mean that his Metal Qi could only be used for bodily reinforcement.
「 As it had fused with [Gigantification], my Metal Qi has also gained the attribute of 'expansion', now die! 」Yayu's Metal Qi violently poured into Sky Crow's body through his talons, affecting Sky Crow's body from the inside.
Sky Crow's body began to expand unnaturally at different rates, her stomach was the first to become bloated up before exploding into a mass of high-temperature heat that burned Yayu's body.
By the time Yayu had flung the burning liquid blood away, Sky Crow was already nowhere to be seen.
Fled?
Sensing his own Metal Qi becoming weaker, Yayu hurriedly readjusted his ability and shrunk back down.
...
Unlike Mana, which is expended with each use, the power obtained from [Bone Forge Art] that is called Metal Qi would not be consumed upon use. Instead, it would always exist inside the user's body as a constant.
The limitations for this power was, in fact, its own 'sturdiness'. After being used at extreme degrees, Metal Qi would gradually become weakened, and if one continued to use it without rest, there was a possibility of the Metal Qi shattering and causing the effects of Burning Soul Tempering to disappear completely.
For that reason, understanding the time limit of usage for this power was also a mandatory course.
...
While Negary was standing on top of a large tree, Yayu slowly landed on his shoulder after turning back to his original size, speaking with an earnest tone: 「 I'm sorry, Lord Negary, I was too agitated 」
[ And the reason? ]even though Negary already knew, he still asked.
「 Because the 'lord of crows' title was something that Lord Negary had bestowed to me, but that one had blasphemed this title. That was the reason why I was so agitated 」
[ So it wasn't because you felt like something that belonged to you had been taken away, but rather because you felt like they had proclaimed themselves as such without my permission, thus blaspheming me, correct? ]Negary asked again while lightly patting Yayu with his hand, remedying Yayu's injuries and agitation.
「 That is the case, Lord Negary, I'm sorry that I let that one flee 」Yayu replied. He was indeed concerned about the 'lord of crows' title, but his attention was on the fact that this title was bestowed to him by Negary, not the title itself.
[ Then it was an outburst done purely out of worship for me ]Negary confirmed this, then turned towards the location where Ying and the Dragon Warrior were fighting, once again asking Yayu: [ Then Yayu, what kind of 'strong' individual do you wish to become? ]
[ From the perspective of capabilities, the 'strong' can be divided into two types, which are 'capable' and 'lacking' ]Negary said: [ Through the knowledge I've bestowed, you should know about the rapidly force under my lead, the Celestials ]
[ They have chosen to walk the path of eternal peace, which is also the path that pursues me as the Forerunner. Most of them perfectly understand their limits, their chances of manifesting a Pathway are so low that even I cannot discern them; so they had chosen to become dependent on my Pathway instead, doing everything in their power to continuously spread my influence and increase the strength that I already possess ]
[ There are many of them that are considered the 'strong' because they are 'capable', exerting their capabilities to their very limits. It was because of their existence that I am able to rapidly improve myself, freeing up a lot of spare effort to pursue what I was originally lacking ]
...
On the battlefield, the Dragon Warrior had to continuously dodge towards areas on the ground where he could still land, as the terrifying Shikigami made up of countless body parts was rapidly spreading over the existing ground, limiting the range of his movements.
...
[ On the other hand, there is another kind of 'strong' people who pursue what they lack. Every individual has their own absolute limits that would restrain their steps, but some people choose to exert both effort and wisdom in order to break through this limit, searching for that tiny chance that not even I can discern, risking their lives in the process ]
[ In the other force that I had founded, the Impure Hermit Order, there are many such fools who pursue this foolish notion. While they also worship me, they have their own pursuits in life ]
[ These two kinds of 'strong' cannot be clearly compared to one another, sometimes, they cannot even be distinguished, but it is the most general direction ]Negary paused his hands and asked again: [ Yayu, which kind of 'strong' individual do you want to become? ]
[ To completely sustain my will and develop my existing power, turning into a part of me? Or to follow the foolish path of continuously breaking through one's limit and eventually becoming my subordinates? ]
「 I... 」Yayu hurriedly wanted to give an answer, but Negary had cut him off.
[ A part of me, or my subordinate, think carefully about it ]Negary didn't openly say which one he preferred and simply continued to observe the battle below, giving Yayu time to slowly think.
"The Dragon Warrior is in a difficult position. He's very powerful, but his capabilities were mostly focused on his defenses and expert close-combat skills, both of which had been countered by that fluid mud monster" Lan Shan narrowed her eyes and smiled while she commented.
[ Indeed ]Negary turned towards Lan Shan and wryly smiled.
[ As expected of the embodiment of my emotions, huh? ]
...
I can't keep this up with that monster.
The Dragon Warrior's body shifted as he looked towards Ying who was now surrounded in liquid mud. The girl still had the leisure to keep holding her parasol up this entire time, her face was currently observed, but the muddy liquid flowed continuously around her body more and more, gradually pushing the Dragon Warrior towards his death.
If he touched those muddy monsters just a little bit with his foot, that liquid would rapidly surround his leg and climb up in an attempt to restrain him, which he would have to use up a lot of strength to avoid.
I've been completely countered!
The Dragon Warrior was trying to wrack his brain and come up with a way to get out of this situation.