Chapter 360

Blood-colored like a tide, it spread over the stark white bones, dyeing everything dark red.

The cheetah's agile body chased across the plain, its sharp teeth sinking into the antelope's straight throat; beneath the grizzly bear's massive jaws, white rabbit fur mixed with blood droplets flew; the hyena pack tore at the ox's abdomen, its curved horns uselessly gouging deep marks in the dust.

These images kept overlaying and repeating, gradually fading to black-and-white silhouettes, turning into pale lines that tangled in the void.

Finally.

All the lines converged and collapsed toward the center, forming a singularity that devoured everything——

That was an existence darker than darkness.

And in the churning sea of blood, countless scarlet arms rose from the surface, like the dying struggles of those drowned, frantically trying to grasp——

But besides the void, they had nothing.

Black Swan stretched out her hand in terror, her long fingers scratching at the void, as if trying to catch the last thread of hope for escape.

But her body was being torn apart and shattered by some invisible force, turning into drifting feathers that spun and fell into the void, vanishing completely.

——

Pirate King.

Black Hole.

Kuzan pushed up his glasses; the lenses reflected the moment before Black Swan was torn apart, the look of terror on her face.

No one dared laugh at her, for they were no different from her. When the void that could engulf everything descended, besides futile struggle, nothing would remain.

This is the true……gravity.

Kuzan instinctively glanced at the black-bearded man beside him.

Not long ago, the black-bearded man who had doubted Huangquan's strength had his expression completely frozen. His Adam's apple rolled up and down as if he wanted to say something, but only a few dry 'heh' sounds came out. The thick mass of his black beard trembled slightly, his missing teeth resembling the gates of hell—this signature feature of his now made him look utterly disheveled.

What……is going on in this woman's head?

After who knows how long, the black-bearded man managed to squeeze out this slightly trembling sentence.

He slumped down weakly onto the deck.

The Dark-Dark Fruit possessed the infinite gravity of a black hole, but when he confronted it in the depths of Yellow Springs, he realized he was the one firmly sucked in—not just his body, but his spirit as well… everything was breaking down and being destroyed in the black hole, like the rabbit in the grizzly bear's mouth……utterly powerless to resist.

After Shajin revealed his identity as an emissary of Yellow Springs, he wondered whether his Dark-Dark Fruit's power could affect an emissary like Yellow Springs; now this guess finally had an answer.

Black Swan was annihilated in the black hole into black feathers, and everyone was finally——freed from this hell's black hole.

Really troublesome……

Xiliu felt his legs go completely limp; only by leaning on his sword could he barely stay standing. The other captains also broke free from the memories, their chests heaving violently as if they had just endured a death match, their breathing carrying an unnatural tremor.

——

The final note trembled in the air and faded away.

In the center of the dance floor, Black Swan collapsed weakly into Yellow Springs' arms; she steadied her waist. After the dance, her damp strands of hair clung to her slightly pale cheeks as she gasped heavily, her chest rising and falling greedily with each breath.

Yet Yellow Springs' eyes remained calm, even tinged with……doubt.

"Annihilation Gang……who are they?"

——

"Ha……she, she actually doesn't know the Annihilation Gang?"

Juhe'an's fingers trembled slightly as he pointed at Yellow Springs' vacant gaze in the sky; after enduring a nightmare-like memory, his pale face finally managed to squeeze out a smile.

"Master…her memory really is terrible,"

In the sunlight, Yuanzǐ Wushi slowly turned his head; shadow covered half his face, and when he slightly lifted his head, the disciples finally saw his expression.

"Master, Master?"

Juhe'an's smile froze on his face.

He rarely saw his master show such a expression: a pale face covered in cold sweat, with veins bulging on his forehead like two writhing earthworms. The last time he saw this expression was during the battle between Huanlong and Jingyuan.

"Blockhead." Yuanzǐ Wushi's voice sounded as if squeezed from between his teeth, "Do you remember the name of the ant you stepped on?"

Suddenly, everything fell into dead silence.

Only a few disciples' violent heartbeats…and the sound of their teeth chattering remained.

"Master, what do you mean by that?"

"It means the Grand Duke of Netherfire……is the ant she stepped on."

"Someone as strong as the Grand Duke of Netherfire, she's probably already slain countless such beings on her way; forces like the Netherfire Manor——even in her memory they don't deserve a name."

——

"I've been watching her for a long time; tonight is the last invitation. 【Sea Patrol Wanderer】……"

Yellow Springs walked alone down the long street.

The sky seemed to be quietly changing—the ink‑black night sky appeared soaked with the dead's blood, gradually seeping out a dark‑red hue. That red grew deeper, like diluted blood spreading across the firmament, shrouding the whole street in an eerie glow.

"No, I've made a fatal mistake."

"Everyone has a past, but some people's past is a silent deep sea, filled with the bones of those who drowned."

As the scarlet faded, Yellow Springs walked silently down the street while trying to recall the name Black Swan had just mentioned.

"Annihilation Gang…Annihilation Gang……"

"Suddenly, his steps halted; Yellow Springs seemed to realize something and slightly lifted his head."

"Ah…it's them……"

——

Demon Slayer's Blade.

"No wonder, when Xing first suggested acting together with Yellow Springs, Black Swan's expression seemed a bit wary……"

Butterfly Ninja let out a long breath she had been holding in her heart for ages; upon seeing the apocalyptic scene, she didn't dare breathe for a moment, until the Stone Pillar lightly patted her back, allowing her to barely regain her senses from the endless 'gravity'.

Just peeking at her memory turned out worse than being hit by an illusion-type blood demon technique. Who exactly is this woman? Where does she come from? Why is she so strong?

Although the appearances of these Pathstriders in the heavenly canopy cannot be simply judged by human time, she is, after all, not an immortal kind like the Xianzhou people; she looks to be in her twenties, even appearing younger than these pillars.

Undying River Shimi cannot understand just how many battles this woman has experienced to reach her present state.

"...... Could it be that the Star God's blessing has granted her near-infinite life? She is like Lady Jingliu, merely appearing young." Ganlu Temple's Mitsuri proposed her speculation.

"Actually, she has already undergone countless battles; whether in skill or Path, she has come a very long way."