Chapter 251: Dark Knight Gaia Warrior

After the joy of reunion ended, no one lingered long here.

Gaia brought Tenjo Hikari and those weak spirits to a small village.

Calling it a village might be too "large"—in truth, it was just a few tents, a few small huts, and some spirits eking out a living here.

This was the encampment Gaia had established, home to the spirits he rescued from the Light Emperor's forces in this dimension.

He introduced Tenjo Hikari to the spirits here, and in turn, introduced them to the "ultimate fusion duelist" he spoke of. Upon learning that Tenjo Hikari was the idol of the "Great Lord," the spirits quickly lowered their guard against humans—some returned to their tasks, others gathered curiously to watch Tenjo Hikari and his companions catch up.

After a brief reunion, Tenjo Hikari curiously asked about the situation here.

The Critical Point dimension was a chaotic realm, brimming with possibilities.

Naturally, this dimension teemed with all kinds of disordered factions.

Here, it fell under the Light Emperor's "Land of Glorious Knights."

"Not glorious at all—haven't seen a single knight besides you," the Black Flame Knight snorted.

"They call it the Land of Glorious Knights, but really, it's more a place of survival of the fittest…" Gaia picked up a stick and drew a map on the ground as he spoke, "Almost all residents here are Spirit Warriors. Higher-ranked warriors attack lower-ranked ones; the fallen become 【nourishment】, and the survivors become slaves or servants to the knights, repeating this cycle downward."

"Huh?" the Flame Swordsman raised his eyebrows. "What kind of garbage 'Land of Glorious Knights' is this?"

"So that's why you've been wandering here," Black Flame understood.

As fellow warriors from the 【Realm of Warriors】, followers of the Primordial Chaos Warrior, the most honorable and noble warriors and knights, they deeply understood Gaia's thoughts and actions.

This was an insult to knighthood—unbearable!

"But… didn't you already complete the Primordial Chaos Warrior's trial and become a Chaos Warrior?" The Flame Swordsman understood the situation, but not the outcome.

The Chaos Warrior was the strongest warrior!

Every warrior spirit had once dreamed—or still dreamed—of becoming the strongest warrior; the Chaos Warrior was the "end" of all warriors, the ultimate warrior!

Even if Gaia, as a Chaos Warrior, wasn't as godlike as the Primordial Chaos Warrior, no spirit of his kind could defeat him!

It was impossible!

"Idiot, didn't you forget? Gaia gave the Chaos Warrior card to the Master," Black Flame sighed helplessly.

"Ah—" The Flame Swordsman tapped his own head.

He'd forgotten entirely.

Because Tenjo Hikari's Curse Dragon, Black Knight Gaia, and Black Magician were all acquired from others—he'd forgotten that the Chaos Warrior came from the Black Magician girl.

Without the "original body," Gaia could only fight in other forms; losing to other warriors wasn't surprising.

"No, even if I had it, I wouldn't do that," Gaia shook his head solemnly. "Crushing that guy with raw power would be no different from what he does."

"Besides, since I've chosen to follow the Master, I must pursue an even more fused form."

He scratched his head.

"In the end… I'm still just a higher-level monster."

Tenjo Hikari saw it too.

His current form resembled not Black Knight Gaia, but Black Knight Gaia Warrior—a hybrid of Chaos Warrior and Gaia, likely his strongest form before becoming a Chaos Warrior.

"I think you might need a mount—like a dragon," Black Flame raised a finger and suggested.

Tenjo Hikari currently held a card he'd recently "acquired" from the Magician Scientist: "Knight Gaia." He guessed Gaia hadn't evolved into a fused form simply because he lacked a partner.

"Yeah, yeah! I thought the same thing—" The Flame Swordsman pretended he'd just had the idea.

"What a boring idea," Tierra sighed as the two spirits offered advice. "Whether ritual monster or higher-level monster, what's the difference? Doesn't a purple form still count as fusion?"

"Aren't you two stuck in your current forms because you've realized this—and so you refuse to evolve?"

"Uh… Your Highness Midelash…" Black Flame felt embarrassed—her words had pierced her thoughts.

"No?" The Flame Swordsman scratched his head, confused, but quickly replied to Tierra: "Still, Your Highness Midelash, you're right."

"Who are you?" Gaia didn't recognize Tierra; seeing a stranger, his old temper flared. "I'm catching up with Flame Sword and Black Flame—what's it to you—"

Midelash narrowed her eyes. She felt pressure gathering toward her, making even this former Chaos Warrior struggle to breathe. But she was no spirit who feared "pressure" or "authority." She rose to confront Tierra—until Flame Sword and Black Flame quickly held her back, calming her down.

"Sigh… she's got a point," Gaia sat back down, muttering Tierra's words. "Hmm… my cultivation still isn't enough. The Primordial Chaos Warrior repeatedly warned me not to let my temper clash with my partners—otherwise, how can I call it fusion?"

"No wonder that Primordial Chaos Warrior…" Tenjo Hikari nodded, responding to Gaia: "Gaia, as I told you before, whether ritual or fusion, the method of summoning or the monster summoned doesn't matter. I won't stop others' beliefs—I merely pursue fusion myself."

"You can join my team now."

He stood, extending his hand: "Not as a defeated warrior—but as my friend, my partner, as one of fusion."

Gaia couldn't help but laugh.

A year had passed, and he'd worried about one thing.

That the warrior who once defeated him had changed his mind and abandoned fusion.

After all, humans were far too fickle.

Yet after a year, he felt from Tenjo Hikari an even purer, even more fervent passion for "fusion!"

Gaia bowed again to Tenjo Hikari.

"Let's go. Show me the enemy who defeated you—let me witness your pursuit of 【fusion】, your understanding of warriors and glory," said Tenjo Hikari.

"Yes!"

Gaia rose and shouted to the surrounding warriors: "My kin! My warriors! Your lord and the master he serves shall challenge that tyrant once more today!"

"For true glory! For true knighthood—"

He slowly clenched his fist. "Cheer for us!"

Chapter One





(End of Chapter)