Rivers of the Night - Chapter 663

Chapter 663: Focus

Blades screamed in the air.

Theron pulled out his dagger swiftly, its foggy edge howling against the curved arch of the scythe’s cut.

Sparks flew and swaths of snow melted as they pelted against the ground.

The region of the collision became a steaming lake of water in one instant, and then a barren wasteland in the next. It cratered, caving in and collapsing beneath the might of their crossed blades.

Theron took a strong step back, his gaze flickering as he looked at his dagger.

It was a strong weapon, an Arcane Blade of the Peak Cloud Resonance. But Theron felt like it almost collapsed under the impact just now.

The spear should have been at the same level, but clearly that was no longer the case. It was a Celestial Resonance weapon now, an entire Grade above Theron’s own. If he didn’t protect his dagger well, it would undoubtedly shatter.

Macie, though, didn’t give Theron much time to think. The moment she saw the dagger appear, it was like everything she had long thought to be true was being confirmed right before her eyes.

She howled, her eyes bulging. The beauty of her expression became marred by fury and grief.

The Demon Chosen had used a foggy black dagger, and though Theron hadn’t taken out his father’s short sword just yet, this all but confirmed it for her.

She retracted her scythe, and in a single motion, it was as though all the spirits and ghosts long lost to time on the planet responded to her call.

Theron’s pupils constricted as the chill sank into his bones.

He was facing several problems now.

For one, the Heart Pavilion was nearby. Whatever this odd Resonance of Macie’s was, it was tapping into the dead, and it had a huge number of quite powerful ones to use at a moment’s call.

Second, Theron wasn’t sure he could just run. Never mind the fact he had gotten here using the Nightingale Sect’s vessel—even if he did manage to run, it would leave him with a huge issue.

The Dark Mana Haven.

The Nightingale Ancestor Bird knew about it, and now that Macie was controlling it—and at the Quasi Dome of Heaven Realm, for that matter—it was only a matter of a thought before Theron was really screwed.

Not only would he lose his chance to reach perfection of the Dome of Heaven Realm in a single go, he would inevitably be chased down by someone in the Ninth Dome of Heaven Resonance.

The gap between Realms only increased the higher you went. Theron didn’t feel comfortable fighting even a First Resonance Dome of Heaven Mancer right now, let alone a Ninth. That would be asking for death.

They could probably breathe in his direction and kill him.

That was doubly so for Macie, who would certainly receive the Nightingale Inheritance at the same time.

At that point, not only would she become a Perfect Dome of Heaven expert in a single go, she would unlock the hidden comprehension within her Resonance and likely become a Primal all at the same time.

In fact, Theron had a feeling that she would become a Titan instead.

When he was speaking to the Nightingale Ancestor Bird, its minimum requirement was that he trigger a Primal Tribulation, but that didn’t mean that this was its limit.

If it wanted him to receive a Primal Tribulation before being bestowed the Inheritance, could that mean that the Inheritance was actually designed to get you closer to Titan Resonance instead?

Plus, it should know that Theron wasn’t a real Nightingale, but Macie apparently was. Did that also mean that it could improve Macie far easier than it could Theron?

Theron’s frown deepened as the curve of Macie’s scythe began to whistle with steaming ice. Everywhere it passed through, the chill became nigh unbearable even to him.

There was a depth of chill to the darkness that seemed to suppress even Ice Mana, making it feel inferior in every way, shape, and form.

This Mana… it was actually touching on concepts of Death Mana.

Theron’s pupils constricted into pinholes.

Without hesitation, he brought out his father’s short sword, a blooming light erupting from it as it evolved once more. From a Silver Resonance Celestial weapon, it became a Gold Resonance Primal weapon, blasting Macie back and halting much of her momentum.

Even so, the chill in the air didn’t fade. It only grew stronger.

Deep inside, though he didn’t fully understand it, Theron knew that he was watching the connection that lay between the Hall and the Nightingales in real time.

Why did Goddess Sacharro want him to destroy the Hall? It had to be related to this.

This chill wasn’t normal, and a person shouldn’t be capable of controlling Death Mana much the same way they shouldn’t be capable of controlling Life Mana.

Yet, Theron could control Life Mana, manipulating his very own internal Mana.

And now Macie Nightingale was utilizing Death Mana. Though not as prominently or as effectively, it was there. Once she stepped into the Dome of Heaven Realm in earnest, Theron had no reason to believe it wouldn’t become even stronger.

Theron’s gaze quickly darted around, trying to assess his options.

He spotted Kempe in the air, the latter clearly not having expected this turn. Lyrah had come out to see the commotion herself, while the Matriarch of the Hall was still doing nothing at all. However, Theron could see a look of shock and hesitation on the Matriarch’s face that seemed to point toward something.

There didn’t seem to be any easy way out of this at all. He was entirely surrounded by enemies, the most dangerous of them being the hesitating Matriarch of the Hall.

Depending on this relationship between the Hall and the Nightingales, she could very well act at any moment and ruin things for him further.

Theron took a deep breath, and a radiant calm overwhelmed the previously gentle expression he was wearing.

In that case…

‘Steal the spear back, then escape.’

The moment he had a focus, his aura completely changed.