Chapter 117: The Race Against Resurrection!

Chapter 117: The Race Against Resurrection

The journey back to Rhemon City stretched long and grueling, with the weight of exhaustion pressing upon every member of the group.

Only the brief pauses to eat, drink, and recuperate, all thanks to Tessa's foresight, kept them moving. They'd endured countless trials, and now, finally, they were returning home. Yet, after a month and a half away, they were welcomed not by peace, but by expected betrayal.

As the group entered the camp, intent on discussing the fate of the ingredients they'd fought so hard to secure—ingredients that had cost them lives, even those resurrected—Adrian noticed a subtle, wordless exchange pass between Ikehara and Ashley. Only he caught the flicker of communication in their eyes, a silent conspiracy hidden from everyone else.

Ikehara and Ashley Duve suddenly vanished into the shadows almost the moment they arrived, slipping away with unnerving stealth. Adrian didn't hesitate.

He ignited the eternal flame within him, feeling the raw energy of the sun pulse through his veins, illuminating every shadow, flooding every dark corner. Nyala, Ecdy, and Nymff joined him, their fatigue forgotten in the face of one last battle. This was it—their chance to save Tessa's body and stop the resurrection of Rhemon.

Meanwhile, Miss Caldwell, expecting a victorious return, found herself stunned as figures hurtled past her at unimaginable speeds. A Rhemonic warrior, panting from the journey, was stopped by Ms Caldwell and he managed to explain the situation to her.

After explaining everything, he ended the sentence with–"They're attempting to resurrect Rhemon…"

It took a moment to sink in, but then Miss Caldwell's eyes widened in horror. "My daughter… she's trapped. Possessed." She barely registered Mr. Thompson's hand on her shoulder, trying to soothe her as she planned to join the chase.

"Let Adrian handle it," Mr. Thompson pleaded. "We'd only get in the way." But Miss Caldwell pulled herself free, torn between love and helplessness, watching her daughter's possessors and potential rescuers vanish over the horizon.

Nyala, Ecdy and Nymff had to eventually give up on the high-speed chase as they were just too tired to continue.

Adrian led the pursuit, his feet pounding the earth with inhuman speed, a blur racing toward Ikehara. "How the hell is he on our trail?" Ikehara muttered, a mixture of fear and a race for time flickering in his eyes. "Just get the resurrection ritual over with!" Ashley barked, her gaze steely and unyielding.

Without a second's hesitation, Ikehara began the ritual, scattering the ancient ingredients he'd collected: the blood leaf, the sand of Lino, the moon's dew, and the fire of the sun. Each element spiraled into the body of the unconscious Rhemon, while Ikehara draped the cloak of restoration over him, sealing the ancient magic. But in a flash, Adrian was upon them. With a swift strike, he crushed the sands of Lino he'd hidden in his palm onto Ashley's chest, severing her hold over Tessa's body.

Ashley didn't even have time to scream before her consciousness was ripped away, yanked violently from Tessa.

Freed from her mental prison, Tessa crumpled to the floor, her body weak but finally her own again. Adrian didn't let a heartbeat pass as he turned his wrath upon Ikehara, landing a blow that sent the man flying through the hut's window, lodging him into a tree outside like a broken doll.

For a moment, it seemed they had won. But then, a strange wind began to swirl through the air. Electricity crackled along Rhemon's body, sparking with a life of its own as it snaked over him, binding him with cosmic power. Floating orbs of sunlight and moonlight hovered at Rhemon's shoulders, casting an ethereal glow as fragments of his soul knitted back together like a jigsaw puzzle.

Adrian's heart pounded. This… this was the rebirth of a god.

Tessa, regaining her senses, she staggered to her feet with some difficulty. She regained her calm after getting her feet balance, then she looked around in confusion, her gaze landing on Adrian, who stood rooted in fear, fists clenched and shaking vigorously. She remembered the brutal sensation of Ashley being torn from her body, and a deep, grateful relief washed over her. But there was no time to celebrate.

At that moment, Ikehara stumbled back inside, his face bloodied, his body battered and broken, yet his eyes alight with a crazed fervor. "I must witness the rebirth of Lord Rhemon," he murmured, his voice trembling. "The true sun god has arisen…"

Adrian snapped to attention, his fear transforming into fury. He charged toward the floating body of Rhemon, fists ablaze with the eternal flame. This was his only chance. But before he could strike, Ikehara threw himself into the path of destruction, sacrificing himself in one final, mad act of devotion. Adrian's fire seared through him, incinerating him instantly. In the blinding flare, Rhemon's body vanished.

Adrian staggered, the flames retreating back into his fists. His face twisted with anger, breath coming in ragged gasps. "This insane bastard" he screamed. The battle was over, but it felt like a hollow victory. Ashley's consciousness was destroyed, Ikehara's ashes were scattered in the wind, and Rhemon—the god they'd fought to stop—was likely alive somewhere.

Tessa moved with an initial limp, until she got her foot bearing, she then walked up to him, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. Her voice was soft but filled with conviction. "Little brother," she said, her tone a reminder of the bond they'd discovered, complicated yet deeply true.

A faint smile touched Adrian's lips, though it felt bittersweet. Only two months ago, they'd thought themselves lovers, unaware of the truth. Now, they were united not by romance but by shared burdens and fate's twisted hand.

"Thank you for carrying the weight until now," she murmured, pulling him into a quiet embrace. Together, they held each other, quietly with no more word said, but emotions shared, preparing their minds for the trials that lay ahead. Rhemon was out there, somewhere, with the cloak of restoration and every ingredients they had fought so hard to secure, the result of their over a month's worth of adventure all used up to revive him. It felt like a waste. The battle was over, but the war… the war had only just begun.