The Creatures That We Are-Chapter 1229: Seven Seconds

—Haha, I ordered an extra cake accidentally.

—It’s a new shop. Let’s check if it’s good. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Gao Yang had nowhere to escape to, but he didn’t give up. He conjured a double, and they teleported to the left and the right, respectively.

It was futile. Both Gao Yang were too close to Pride. They were akin to two flies being caught by one swat.

Bone stings shot out of Pride’s right fist, instantly piercing one Gao Yang’s back and head. Fortunately, it was the double that got killed.

It wasn’t simple luck, of course. Gao Yang had activated Luck Aura the moment he conjured a double. His Luck stat was burning away at 7777.7 points per second, meaning the buff would last about 1.5 seconds. The death of his double hit Gao Yang’s energy pathway with its backlash. Before the pain could register, a cold gust swept toward him and rustled his hair.

Iron Skin!

Damage Transfer!

Willful Heart, third reallocation!

Maximum Endurance!

[Constitution: 1 Endurance: 24445]

[Strength: 1 Agility: 1]

[Willpower: 1 Charisma: 1]

[Luck: 8581 (decreasing)]

Pride’s left fist slammed into the left arm Gao Yang was shielding his heart with. Another energy explosion sent his burning form flying, drawing a blinding golden line in the veil of night, breaking the sonic barriers several times.

Pride had only used one-third of his power with the punch.

It wasn’t that he was going easy on Gao Yang, but that chasing after one Gao Yang while killing another with Grim Reaper’s Spear precisely had prevented him from attacking as hard as he could. Even so, the punch had critically injured Gao Yang despite the layers of protection from the triple buff, maxed-out Endurance, Luck Aura, Iron Skin, and Damage Transfer.

His left arm was shattered. His body, barely transformed into metal, burned pitifully in the lingering energy from the attack.

Six seconds.

...

—Gao Yang, it’s actually my birthday today.

—You just spent my birthday with me. That makes us friends, right?

Suddenly, the shooting star streaking across the sky radiated a blinding golden light, resulting from the perfect resonation between the Guard Rune Circuit and the awakener.

Absolute Defense, level 8!

Chains of Fate, Self Judgment!

Golden light shot out like the frames of countless golden umbrellas, forming a radiant array. Each node sent a Chain of Fate flying toward Gao Yang, and the countless chains chased after him like a fading shooting star.

In an instant, several chains caught up with Gao Yang and grappled him. Then more chains followed to wrap around him while a towering pillar of fate rose from the ground into the sky.

Bam! The layers of chains yanked Gao Yang to the pillar. He slammed into it. Once the Chains of Fate were fully formed, they would conduct a trial on Gao Yang, during which he would be subject to unimaginable torment that might just kill him.

However, it was a trial Gao Yang was holding on himself. He would not let anyone interfere with his fate—not Pride, nor God.

Unfortunately, he had run out of time.

The Chains of Fate would take another second to take form, yet Gao Yang only had half a second. His Luck Aura would run out then, too.

Almost instantaneously, Pride reached him. The crimson bone sting he wielded as a longsword burst into intertwining light of golden and red, crushing all the chains blocking his way. Like a trick shot that would always hit, the blade of light pierced into Gao Yang’s chest in a fierce straight line.

No energy explosion. The earth and heaven did not break. Silence announced the undeniable, irreversible verdict.

Gao Yang felt a cold stab in his chest. His vision wavered.

When he realized it, he was already pinned to the cold Pillar of Fate. What had pierced his heart wasn’t the thread of fate, but Pride’s crimson bone sting.

Gao Yang threw up blood.

Pride retracted his overflowing energy. His blond hair no longer shone, and his eyes dimmed. Gao Yang’s blood splattered on his pale face.

He looked at Gao Yang quietly. He did not smile.

Seven seconds.