Rivers of the Night-Chapter 868: No Intention

Capítulo 868: No Intention

Theron exhaled through the bloody mist, his body revving almost like an engine before he calmed.

It felt like every one of his cells was vibrant and alive, every aspect roaring with more energy than it ever had before.

It was almost like he had been running on low fuel all his life until this point. Now, even his punches surpassed the usual King without any added energy whatsoever, almost like the universe itself was supporting his assault on those around him.

The feeling was intoxicating, but when his enemies faded away, so too did that rage that was roaring inside of him.

Ayame shifted in his arms and he looked down, thinking that she was getting up. But instead, she just nestled in further as though she was having the best sleep of her life.

Theron didn’t even know how to react to this. This girl really knew how to sleep.

He smiled to himself.

“THERON!”

A voice cut across the darkness and Theron looked up to find Lyra waving her arms wildly, jumping up and down like she had a roaring excitement within her that she couldn’t manage at all.

Theron’s smile grew brighter and he shifted Ayame in his arms to wave back.

It was only then that he seemed to notice Ameridia, Messo, and Alpha, but namely the former two. He still didn’t know what the purpose of those two was, or why they wanted to enter the Heaven’s Gate.

What he did know, though, was that it was probably impossible to do that now. Whatever was unexplored on the other side would remain that way as everything collapsed.

That said, they didn’t look disappointed. They were quite hard to read in general, but Theron could swear that they looked… relieved?

Ameridia was looking up into the skies and smiling absently at something. It was like she hadn’t even noticed him come out.

The smile was incredibly subtle, but it was there.

‘Did she want to strike the names down too? Or is it something else?’ Theron frowned.

He couldn’t remember who that woman was or where he had heard the voice, but he recalled everything else clearly. He assumed that maybe the woman had some strong connection with Ayame. Maybe the mother she wanted to avenge?

Theron had no real way of knowing.

What was important was that he recalled the name Ryu Tatsuya, he recalled striking it down, and he recalled the large amounts of Karma that flooded out because of it.

Now the world just felt… fuller for some reason.

Yet, even in how full and vibrant the world felt, there was an uneasy feeling in Theron’s chest.

He had some understanding of Karma himself thanks to the Needle and Thread in his possession.

It wasn’t just good people who would benefit from this change to the universe.

Theron’s eyes landed on Matriarch Macie, who was looking at him with a wild grin.

It was such an odd look on the face of a woman who was so beautiful. She had somehow become even younger, and yet far more dangerous.

The connection Theron felt between himself and her was all the stronger right now.

“Theron… Theron… Theron…” Matriarch Macie said slowly. “You have benefited quite a bit from my efforts.”

Theron’s head tilted to one side. Her efforts?

She was little more than a Gold Mancer of a backwater Sect just two or so years ago. How much effort could she have possibly put in, exactly?

Matriarch Macie chuckled as though she could read Theron’s thoughts.

“If not for me, how would the little girl in your arms be able to awaken? If the Supreme Commander was still alive, how could a little Demon Prince reach his hands into the Resistance Army’s territory to force her hand? You should be thanking me.”

Theron’s eyes narrowed.

The change triggered inside of Ayame was one that he knew was likely related to the Demon Prince, but he still didn’t know how or why that happened.

“I do not mind explaining everything. You just have to join me. How about it?” Matriarch Macie’s grin deepened. “It’s been a long time since this old woman had a man.”

Theron hardly reacted to the words.

It was true, there were many things that he didn’t understand.

He didn’t understand why Ancestor Tatsuya and Sacharro were fighting. He didn’t understand why, despite their fight, a lot of their descendants seemed to actually be working together—like Bamby and Kenton, or again in Ameridia and Messo. He didn’t understand exactly what change had been triggered in Ayame, nor did he really understand what the Nightingale Clan had to do with any of this or why he felt such a strong connection to Matriarch Macie.

But what he did know was that looking at Matriarch Macie now, he felt the same disgust he felt when he looked at Ryu Tatsuya’s name.

He also knew that no matter how much stronger he had gotten now, the level of Ryu Tatsuya was far beyond him. It felt like with Karma released into the universe again, the ceiling of cultivation had been elevated well past his current understanding.

Transcendents had felt like the end, and somehow, right now…

It only felt like the beginning.

Wherever that true ceiling was, Ryu Tatsuya had long taken a step past it. Theron knew he was no match for him right now. It wouldn’t even take a thought to kill him.

But Matriarch Macie was different.

Theron vanished and carefully placed Ayame on Alpha’s back.

“Take care of her. I will be back.”

Ameridia seemed to finally snap out of her thoughts, looking toward Theron.

“We’ve already won the battle today. Now isn’t the time for this battle; she is far too powerful. If she claims such a critical victory against you right now, she’ll gain enough momentum to steamroll everything.”

Ameridia didn’t just speak. A steel cage of space appeared around Theron, trapping him inside.

But Theron reacted as though he hadn’t even seen it.

“I have no intention of losing.”