Chapter 123: Proclamation, the True Name of My Sword

There was no crisp chime of steel clashing, nor the frantic back-and-forth of a desperate struggle. As Zhuang Xiaoyuan swung, her black sword, etched with crimson patterns, met the Emperor-class Evil God’s greatsword. It severed the weapon instantly, continuing its momentum toward the Emperor’s shoulder.

"Hm?!" The ease with which his greatsword was shorn in two left the Emperor-class Evil God wide-eyed with surprise. He studied the black blade descending upon him, while simultaneously, the severed half of his own weapon morphed, reshaping into a slender, single-handed sword. It thrust upward, aiming directly for Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s unarmored neck. Given the reach of the blade, it should have pierced her body before her own strike could land.

"Hmph." With a cold snort, Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s movement remained unfaltering. She continued her downward arc, a strike so precise it threatened to cleave the Emperor in two. Simultaneously, the shadow beneath her feet stirred. Several thick, writhing tentacles surged from the gloom to lash out at the Emperor’s single-handed sword. The substance, resembling foul, dark mud, seemed to coalesce with the malice of the entire world, evoking instant revulsion and terror in any who beheld it.

Clink, clatter. The Emperor’s sword was shattered into three pieces by the muddy tentacles and fell to the ground. However, Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s strike did not find its mark either. At the final moment, the Emperor-class Evil God opted to retreat, using the ozone shield he had previously deployed against Miku’s sonic attacks to momentarily deflect her blade, allowing him to pull back just in time to narrowly evade the blow.

"What manner of sword is that? It is surely no ordinary object." Touching the neckline of his robe, which had been shredded by the keen force of her sword wind, the Emperor’s gaze finally sharpened. His eyes were locked intently upon the black blade in her hand.

"Want to know her name? You may continue to test me, and I shall tell you soon enough." A mocking curl touched her cold lips as she extended her left index finger, beckoning him with a gesture of utter disdain.

"Audacity! How dare you show such insolence to Lord Akasa!" Before the Emperor could reply, the twin King-class Evil Gods behind him could no longer restrain themselves. With their original opponents kicked away to deal with the Tunneling-class demons, the twins were free to act, and they could not tolerate such provocation against the master they worshipped above all.

"Daring to attack Lord Akasa? You must pass through us first!" The elder twin on the right leaped forward, charging at Zhuang Xiaoyuan. The younger sister on the left mirrored her movement instantly, their synchronization uncanny.

As they closed the distance, they began to merge. These twins, already significantly stronger than ordinary King-class Evil Gods, would surely become even more formidable once combined. Yet, to Zhuang Xiaoyuan, they were merely ants offering up their own self-righteous challenge.

"The time has come. Proclaim the true name of my blade. This is the sword of kingship. Excalibur!" Facing the charging twins, Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s gaze remained fixed on the more distant Emperor, as if the pair before her were unworthy of her focus. She raised the obsidian sword high and invoked its true name.

Black light surged, gathering in intensity upon the raised blade. As she swung her arms downward with force, the black radiance erupted into a torrent of light, surging straight ahead.

"No..." Before they could even utter a final word, the newly fused twins could only register a look of sheer terror and a gasp of astonishment before being swallowed by the deluge of light. When the torrent finally faded, a deep trench remained in the earth. The twin Evil Gods were long gone. This was a demonic blade whose power far, far eclipsed that of any imitation Holy Sword.

"A strike that truly astonishes me. I have changed my mind. To solidify such a perfect masterpiece into a frozen display piece would be a waste. I want you alive. How about it? Join me, and I shall share with you the joy of destroying this world." Seeing the torrent of light, the Emperor’s gaze shifted; his initial lust for her power transformed into a deep, consuming craving. Only someone like her was worthy of him; only such overwhelming power was fit to stand by his side. The twins? They were merely toys that had outlived their usefulness.

"Destroy the world? A truly magnificent goal." Withdrawing her sword, Zhuang Xiaoyuan looked up, shifting her focus from her blade back to the Emperor.

"Indeed. Come, join me." The Emperor’s eyes shone with the certainty that her acceptance was a foregone conclusion, as if the possibility of refusal had never existed—or perhaps he had never imagined anyone would dare deny him.

"A magnificent goal, indeed. But I refuse. Furthermore, you shall have no opportunity to see it through." With a cold sneer, Zhuang Xiaoyuan rejected his invitation outright.

"Refuse? How can that be?" The Emperor’s eyes filled with disbelief. She had just praised his ambition, only to reject him? What was going through her mind? "Is it because of the humans?" Could the only reason be that this little cat, clearly marked as an Evil God, still considered herself human?

"Humans? They have nothing to do with me. But you touched something that belongs to me. And for that, I must kill you." Slowly raising the black Excalibur, Zhuang Xiaoyuan’s eyes burned with intense, murderous intent.

"Just for that? What kind of reason is that? Did I not leave her unharmed?" The Emperor looked genuinely baffled. While he acknowledged her strength and her power as an Evil God, he found her reasoning completely incomprehensible.

"This is not a matter of the outcome. You touched my property, which means you have violated the laws I have set. As a tyrant, how could I allow a petty thief like you to continue living? And to dare dream of sharing the world with me—a true sovereign—you are a bold thief indeed." Black light gathered once more upon the blade, and she stood ready to strike again.

"A sovereign? Hahahaha! You call yourself a sovereign and use such childish excuses to decline my invitation? Truly, the only way to preserve perfection is to freeze it for eternity. Since you have rejected me, prepare to pay the price." Hearing her words, the Emperor felt she was merely making up excuses to brush him off. Stung by the perceived deception, he consigned her to the same fate: an eternal, frozen sentence.