The puppet’s horror rapidly deepened as the cracks spread to his arm, then his shoulder like a rampant disease. With each one added, he felt his host’s life force plumt, the muscles wither, and the bones turn into drifting ashes.
He tried to shake free of Adam’s grasp, but moving only deteriorated his state faster and made the boy’s smirk widen.
Even worse, he knew they were unshakable despite his weakened state. Energy kept them glued and with Adam’s unbreakable bones, his only option was to vaporise them. But no matter how much he tried, demonic flas refused to erupt. That disgusting sword strapped between their arms sealed them!
He clenched his beak, fury burning in his eyes. Would he, an artefact born to sow destruction and misery, lose in such a humiliating way, while enduring that monster’s scornful smirk? No! He wouldn’t accept it, not against a brat.
The corner of his lips curled subtly. As monstrous as he was, Adam remained a young human. Better. He had tried to reason with his host until the very last mont.
He muffled the sneer scratching at his throat as his owl’s features receded. His ashen skin took a deathly pale sheen as his voice shifted to Ye Feng’s.
"W-Wait!" He stuttered, fake desperation and a sliver of hope twisting his face. "The puppet surrenders. I know I sinned, but p... please don’t kill . For our shared origins, in Protheus’ mory."
How was that? He had listened to everything, and there was no way Adam would continue. Instead, he expected to see him hesitate, to feel his grip loosen. And that was when he would strike.
"Don’t listen!" The emperor roared, his face flushed. Finally, his nesis would die, so how could he allow the puppet to deceive Adam? "Kill him when you still can!"
However, both their eyes widened as thunderous laughter reverberated.
"It doesn’t matter whether you’re Ye Feng or the puppet. Several tis, I tried to talk you out of your folly, yet what did you do? Spite on my face? Accuse of nonsense for your own benefit? Hahaha! Delightfully amusing!" Adam jerked his head back, exploding into laughter.
"I’m one of the magus spawns? You don’t realise how ridiculous that is." He leaned forward, whispering into his ears. "You do rember Protheus’ death, right? Who wouldn’t but a fool or a traitor? Ah! You’re both, so let remind you—he split his soul into two halves, which were then reincarnated before you all."
His eyes narrowed into slits, his voice growing dark. "I’m one of these halves. Do you understand how much of a clown you are?"
"N-No... NOOO!" Trapped inside his collapsing body, the real Ye Feng’s soul throbbed at the surreal revelation. The worst part? It was credible after his use of the atomic elent.
All along, he had accused what could be considered Earth’s hero’s—his hero’s—reincarnation to be their worst enemy? In front of everyone, no less... And despite that, Adam still tried to protect him from his own stupidity.
"I’m indeed a clown," he muttered, gazing at his spectral palms.
He clenched them into fists, a steely glint flashing in his eyes the next second. "I will never atone for this cri, but I can help end this."
His soul roiled, spreading into his limbs before the puppet could recover from his failed manipulation. With utmost ferocity, he wrestled the control of his mouth against the weakening puppet.
"This is the real Ye Feng. Everything is my fault. I-I really admired Protheus..."
"Shut up, slave!" The puppet roared, trying to regain control. Yet, without its demonic power and with its host body on the verge of death, how could it?
Ye Feng continued, his lips curling into a bright smile. "I wanted to beco a figure the others would look up to, the blade drawn against Earth’s enemies. But I was wrong. I’m sorry, and... thank you for everything." His voice fird, yet his smile broadened. "I’ve beco a threat to those I vowed to protect. Kill along with the puppet!"
Adam offered him a silent nod, full of solemness and unspoken words. He channelled his mana into a brilliant divine spear behind him.
Winds picked up as it rotated before a raging typhoon surrounded its shaft.
Hair fluttered and robes flapped, the noises deafening, yet the silent gazes pressed heavier on everyone’s shoulders.
After five seconds, Adam finally sighed. And with it ca the sharp whistle of the spear and the puppet’s horrified scream.
"You will really kill him?! You’re more heartless than a demon—the scum of this realm!"
Without wasting a second, the puppet retrieved his symbiotic limbs and severed his connection with Ye Feng. His real body, an ashen puppet identical to Ye Feng’s demonised looks, with joints separating its limbs, erged from his back and rolled aside a split second before the spear impaled them.
Yet, he picked himself up, a deep furrow creasing his brows. Where was the terrifying light burst that had ripped his arm earlier? Where were the crushing winds, the whistles, and the agonising screams?
He turned, only to see that disgusting smirk plastered on Adam’s face as the spear... dissolved into light particles that healed Ye Feng just enough to preserve his life but not enough for him not to lose consciousness.
"That’s how you manipulate emotions." Adam shook his head, his eyes blazing with contempt as he looked down at the puppet. "Let guess. You can’t display your powers, especially after the emperor sealed you for fifty thousand years and I weakened you this much. Aamon’s cleaver is much more nacing without a wielder."
"I can make you my host!" The puppet lunged forward before his face paled. He stomped on the ground, digging two deep trenches to stop his montum. "The cleaver?! Why did you ntion this bastard?"
"Why? Well, let’s say he has a keen interest in your demonic energy and the fragnt of Andras sealed inside of you."
A dark chuckle escaped his lips as the puppet stepped back in horror.
"Oh! I forgot to ntion it. I could have summoned it and cleaved you in halves if not to save this fool and prevent it from growing stronger. All those taunts and chilling sentences. Tell . How does it feel to learn that not only you played in a brat’s palm but that you had no chance since the beginning? Do you feel humiliated? Stupid?"
As the puppet’s fists trembled, the emperor shook his head. "Don’t underestimate him, Adam. You won’t have another chance to destroy this evil artefact, so do it before he cos up with another insidious plan... Like he did with his curse right before I delivered the coup de grâce."
’Don’t!’ The cleaver thundered in his mind. ’I won’t bother you if you offer him to . I’ll let you use ten tis for free, too, and will swear it on Paimon’s unbreakable contract!’
Adam snickered. "Dream on, you scamming rat."
Without wasting a second, he blurred to the puppet, his sword’s sharp edges glinting amidst the devastated garden and burning palace.
Yet, instead of swinging, he gripped the terrorised puppet by his neck and raised it, flipping their earlier positions.
"As if I’d destroy a treasure. I still have one last mory I didn’t use."
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