Single Wish: Rise Of The Omniscient Paragon

Chapter 476 : 475: Imperium; Fall of The Rot

Although Corey knew that calling Selene a burden at this point was unfair and unkind, it was the truth.

At the moment, Selene could no longer fight, and she could not even move or walk on her own. Her injuries were that severe, and the only way she would no longer be a burden was if Aethara allowed Corey to heal her to the point where she could fight on her own.

However, Corey had a feeling that Aethara would not allow such a thing.

'My injuries are also not fully healed.'

Corey furrowed his brows in deep contemplation.

"You were close."

A soft, calm, indifferent, and ethereal voice echoed around Corey, and he turned toward Aethara who was calmly floating in the air with her massive crimson vine wings outstretched.

Aethara looked at him with a gaze of superiority and indifference, and when she saw that Corey was not responding, she continued speaking.

"You almost… defeated… me."

Corey could sense how difficult it was for Aethara to say those words, especially the words 'Defeat Me'. He cocked his head to the side and chuckled.

"I almost defeated you, but I didn't."

Corey said with a mocking tone, and Aethara gave a slow and slight nod.

"You're right… you didn't… but you almost did… Even though the method you used was not what a warrior should ever do and was extremely shameless… you almost did."

Aethara slowly and calmly spoke, and then she raised her right hand with her palm facing upward and her saber lying flat on her open palm.

A strange wind blew across Aethara's domain, and the blood-red flowers and green thorns across her domain swayed along with the dark green mist.

The moment Corey noticed this, his expression changed and the rate at which blood poured down his eyes and nose increased.

"You forced me to transform into this form, and because of this, I'll make sure to remember your name… Now tell me… What is your name?… And then I'll let you know why they call me the Fallen Angel of Rot."

The instant Aethara said the words, 'Fallen Angel of Rot', the blood-red flowers, green thorns, and dark green mist swayed the more, and Corey winced and clenched his left hand.

Black blood poured from the side of Corey's lips, and Corey touched his mouth for a few seconds before using the back of his hand to wipe the blood from his lips.

He looked at his blood-stained hand, and then he shifted his gaze toward Aethara. A small smile appeared on his bloodied lips.

"They call me The Smile Reaper."

Aethara tilted her head with slightly raised brows and a tinge of confusion flashed in her piercing gold eyes.

"One who reaps the smile of the faces of his enemies… What a strange name."

Aethara slowly closed her fingers around her saber, and then she slowly lowered her hand.

"Unfortunately… I don't smile, so your title is useless before me."

Corey chuckled with his hands still on Selene's chest.

"I have a question."

Corey said, and Aethara cocked her head to the side without speaking.

"You're not a normal Tainted, right? Those crimson vines on you are alive… What are they?"

Corey asked and Aethara glanced at the crimson vines that were curled round her arms, and then she shifted her gaze back to Corey.

"That's not a question, but two."

Corey raised his brows, and then he shrugged.

"I made a mistake then."

Aethara glanced in the direction of Pamela and Raegar for a second, and then she shifted her gaze back to Corey.

"I already told you that defeat is a strange concept to me… I'm the next in line to become the Throne, and even though I've fought Ascendants before, I've never been defeated… Although I was not able to kill some, none have been able to kill me."

"Lord Raegar cannot defeat me and I cannot defeat Lord Raegar also."

Corey's eyes widened slightly when he heard her words. He thought that by facing Aethara as his opponent, he was facing a weaker opponent, but had he just jumped from the frying pan into the flames?

'Next in line to become the Throne?...' Corey's mind pondered on these words, and then his eyes slowly widened as he recalled what Gunnarr told him about the current Throne.

'Wait.'

"As for these vines, it's an abomination… A Titan to be exact…"

Aethara slowly turned, and then her piercing gold eyes bore straight into Corey's pure white eyes that contained visible disbelief.

"I'm sure when I feed it your blood and body, it would become a powerful Principality and then I can become an Ascendant and finally give it a name… It's surprising… I've been looking for the best abomination to give it as food, but you came along."

"Should I say that… I'm lucky?"

When Corey heard Aethara's words, he did not know whether he should laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all.

He chose not to face Raegar because he was too strong and fast for him to react to, and he didn't want to expose most of his abilities. But here he was, fighting a Tainted that was meant to be the next Throne.

Gunnarr had previously told him that the current Throne was once a Tainted, and when he became an Ascendant, he fused with a Principality to become a Throne.

Aethara was the same. She had fused with a Titan, and to Corey's disbelief, he was facing not just a Dreadkeeper but a Titan.

'Should I just run? Is it worth it for me to reveal more of my abilities?... Especially the Paragon Martial Arts just to defeat her?'

Corey seriously contemplated running away because Aethara was a more powerful and dangerous opponent compared to the Capra King.

Although from what he could sense, the aura she was emanating was just a little bit weaker than the Capra King, she was still more dangerous.

Despite the fact that both of them had been talking, Corey's condition had not improved by much at all. If he were to use gaming terms, his health had only recovered by two percent (2%).

Worst of all, Selene's health had only recovered by five percent (5%).

Although they had been talking, Aethara had been attacking them in the form of the power of rot. The rot in the dark green mist became stronger as Aethara spoke, and this delayed his recovery rate by a large degree.

In fact, in the beginning, his condition became worse because he had been focusing more of his Dream Healing on Selene, but after the rot became stronger, his Stars of Consciousness had to find a way to balance the healing between him and Selene.

This was only possible because he had so many Stars of Consciousness and a Cosmic Soul. An average being with the Dream Healing skill would not be able to accomplish such a thing… especially while having a conversation with a being that could kill them in the blink of an eye.

Although the recovery rate of his body was extremely slow, his Stars of Consciousness were furiously studying everything about Aethara.

His Eyes and Ears of Omniscience were pushed to the acceptable limits to study Aethara, and this was the main reason he wanted to continue his conversation with Aethara.

As for why Corey chose not to abandon Selene, it was because he still needed her, and also because she protected him with her body.

He was not feeling guilty, but the principles he had as a man would not allow him to easily abandon a woman who protected him to the point of almost dying.

If he had to rely on a woman to protect him, and then he chose to abandon her, what sort of man would he be?

'Pops would surely skin me alive if he should hear that I did such a thing.'

A genuine smile appeared on Corey's lips as he recalled some memories he had of his father, but a second later, his expression changed and he was taken aback.

'Why did I suddenly think about Dad?'

"I know you've been studying me with those eyes of yours… I can feel it and I can sense it…"

Aethara's voice drifted into Corey's ears, and Corey's expression changed slightly.

"But do you know why I spoke with you for so long?..."

Aethara slowly opened her left hand and raised her open palm upward.

The blood-red flowers and thorns swayed, and a heavy gust of wind blew across Aethara's domain.

Corey's eyes widened and what he saw with his Eyes of Omniscience made his pupils tremble. Without hesitation, he grabbed Selene, pulled her, and quickly placed her on his back.

'Damn it all!' Corey cursed inwardly.

"It's because I am strong."

The instant Aethara said these words, she slowly clenched her open palm, and then a soft and indifferent ethereal voice echoed across the Raging Sky.

Imperium; Fall of The Rot