Chapter 1044

Xiázé Měiyóu hugged her knees, curled up in the corner, hearing the words she also softly echoed: "Hmm... it feels like forcing open a diary to show someone else, how scary... could it be that Bai'e, already... dead..."

""Miyou, are you trying to say 'Bai'e is already dead, and after following Wandi into the vortex center, the trial's target has been replaced by Wandi'?" Xiao frowned slightly, "It's not impossible, but that savior doesn't seem like someone who would resign to fate; if he easily collapsed in such a place, he probably wouldn't close his eyes even in death.""

——

""?" Xing scratched his head, "You might as well just shoot me dead."

""Doesn't look like an act, seems to be the real person." Dan Heng relaxed his vigilance, "Finally found you guys... not easy."

""It's really me. What have you been through before?"

""Just some past events, better not mention them."

""You mean you also saw your own past?" Wandi let out a cold laugh, "Hmph... the Conflict trial is really vicious."

""What have you figured out?"

""I'm afraid this trial doesn't belong to any one person... but rather a battlefield where all challengers and delusions fight each other." Wandi said, "Just now I also saw an old acquaintance... but Bai'e never knew him."

Dan Heng let out a breath: 'Heh... that doesn't sound like a bad thing. This actually means we will definitely be able to find Bai'e here.'

""I hope this battlefield isn't as vast as imagined..."

The three followed the sound of battle and soon arrived at a noisy square, where Aohema people and Suspended Blade people were everywhere, swords drawn and bows taut, and standing in the crowd was a figure that made Xing feel extremely familiar.

""This is Gnaeus, an incarnation of Nicadoli..."

""Although I've never met him face to face, I also felt it. Undoubtedly, that is the killing intent belonging solely to Conflict." Wandi's muscles tensed throughout his body, staring at the phantom ahead like facing a formidable enemy, "Nicadoli's true form—the ruler of this battlefield."

""Heh, Maidemos... you are indeed a bright-eyed warrior." Nicadoli turned to look at him.

""Do you recognize me?"

""O blasphemer of the gods, Your Majesty, I certainly recognize you. I also understand: you have come for the soul of the white-haired warrior."

""Then it's easy to say. Hand over that pitiful swordsman, and let us quickly end this farce."

""I refuse." Nicadoli said calmly, "All along the way I have acknowledged your courage. But since you intend to trample the dignity of the defeated, I cannot stand by and do nothing."

Dan Heng furrowed his brow: 'The defeated one... could it be that he couldn't overcome the trial?'

Nicadoli: 'He faced his deepest inner fear, fought bravely, and fell in defeat amidst the fierce slaughter. Therefore, I have taken him into this sandfield behind me, bestowing upon him honor befitting courage, resilience, and sacrifice.'

——

JOJO's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable.

""Bai'e died in battle? No way? What exactly did he encounter in the trial?"

Hearing that Bai'e had fallen in defeat, Yi Tai's whole mind went blank; he couldn't imagine anyone besides the Conflict Titan himself being able to kill him in such a short time.

The key is that everything encountered in this trial were things that once frightened him, which only deepened Yi Tai's curiosity: what exactly once left such a deep psychological scar on Bai'e? Could it be even more terrifying than Nicadoli?

""Yi Tai, do you think there's a possibility that Bai'e once encountered an enemy even more terrifying than Nicadoli?"

Zhang Zhu recalled the experience that Xiadie had mentioned not long ago; Bai'e's hometown had once undergone a drastic change, and upon reflection, that upheaval is likely related to Bai'e's trial this time.

""... More terrifying than Nicadoli? Which Titan is that?"

Zhang Zhu shook his head, speaking seriously word by word: 'Not a Titan, I mean... Heichi.'

The Heichi they could imagine could only be related to 'virus' and 'plague'—a pestilence that can infect even deities, causing them to uncontrollably descend into madness, while humans die upon contact. If Bai'e died at the hands of such a formidable thing, that would actually be understandable.

But if it's something other than Heichi... then what exactly killed Bai'e?

——

""Want to take him away? Fine: pick up a copper spear, step forward and prove your conviction matches his... as for cowards who don't intend to shed blood... get out of my sight right now."

""Wandi sneered: 'Hmph, I'm not interested in your lofty opinions, you tragic mad king... but if you want a fight, then come on, Titan—let me once again shut your eyes with the hand of death.'

""Not bad! Your noble mother once wielded a long spear and let me experience the same spirit."

However, the Titan's words were like a sharp needle, stabbing hard into Wandi's heart; he clenched his fists tightly, gritted his teeth, and said word by word: '... Don't mention her name.'

""Why? She defended your honor, knowing she would die to a poisonous scheme, yet still challenged the former Suspended Blade king to a duel. Do you mean to say all this was just her futile effort?"

""Her tragedy stems from your hand—the embodiment of Conflict—what face do you have to speak of her past?" Like a lion's roar rising from deep within his chest, Wandi swept his arm forward and strode purposefully toward the Titan.

""Enough, stop wasting time on useless talk. As the god of Conflict, why not settle this with swords and finish quickly?"

Seeing Wandi so furious, Nicadoli nodded satisfied: 'Heh, your hatred is plain to see, Maidemos—these words must have pierced your heart. And that is precisely why I finally understood... this is the reason you murdered your father to seize the throne, yet allowed the seal to sink into the nether sea, unwilling to continue the Suspended Blade glory.'

""This is the reason you overthrew the Conflict Titan, yet refused the fire seed, prolonging Conflict."

""Forsaken by fate, I want to see if you have the ability—see if you can personally extinguish your own destiny (Conflict)."

——

Dragon Clan.

「I have to say, Wandi's patricidal experience is also too 'Conflict', no wonder even the Conflict Titan is so fond of him. 」 Caesar also really likes Wandi's straightforward personality; when facing foreign enemies, he'd rather act than talk, and if he can beat them, he won't try to persuade.

「This trial itself is also very much aimed at him. 」 Chu Zihang opened his eyes.

「Indeed. 」 Caesar nodded, unable to deny it, all along the way, the illusions constructed in the trial were all frantically stabbing Wandi's lung tubes; from the tragic death of his most cherished subjects, to the insults hurled by his loyal ministers, and then to this Titan dragging out his most cherished mother…… the illusions, without exception, strove to dance on Wandi's thunder zone, as if deliberately trying to provoke his anger.