Blake sent a despairing cry to Levi and Tyrese... alas, both were too far to offer any realistic help. Not even Nurah’s shadow transportation was useful in this situation when they were on opposite ends of the giant rope.
The fact that Fang was able to terrorize them alone made it clear that rushing to save Blake would be nothing but a suicidal attempt... especially when the rope’s center was currently dominated by hundreds of undead summons, acting as a protective wall.
Yet Levi refused to give up on him that easily... not when he felt responsible for the participation of the Bishop’s goons that had turned this game into their personal slaughterhouse. Also, Blake carried most of their collected horns.
If he died, half of the collection would transfer to Fang... and that would spell a horrible fate for all of them.
’Shit... think, think, think.’
Levi knew they were out of options and that the moment Blake reached the Toxic Kingdom, he was finished... With little choice left, Levi had only one solution.
’The immense distance will make it hard, but all I need to do is give Blake a slight opening... the rest is up to him.’
Without hesitation, Levi took a deep breath and raised his palm toward the sprinting werewolf.
’Blake, I need you to trust me,’ Levi sent a stern dimensional message. ’I need you to turn around and sprint toward that bastard.’
’Huh?! Are you insane?! He will kill me!!’
Blake felt shivers coursing down his spine nonstop, not daring to even turn around and glance at Fang. Although he was running at his fastest, he could still hear the thundering footsteps behind him and the predatory growls Fang kept letting out.
Turn around and run toward him? Not a chance!
’It’s your only chance. You’re running straight to your doom.’
Hearing this, Blake gulped in dread. He could see Deyss’Vael and his teammates waiting for him inside the Toxic Kingdom with cold grins.
Since he was currently the Rifter with the highest number of horns, everyone wanted a piece of him. After all, no one had forgotten that the Rifter with the highest number of collected Horns would earn a personal Unique Wish.
’Damn, damn, damn!! Why me?!’
Realizing that his options were limited to either jumping off the rope or trusting Levi, Blake could only curse his horrible misfortune. Then, he instantly applied the brakes and slid across the surface of the rope in a wide arc, leaving behind a trail of electrical discharges!
In an instant, he was slicing toward Fang, his eyes fully wide and filled with a fake sense of bravery. Still, faking bravery was always better than succumbing to cowardice.
"I AM NOT DYING HERE!!"
Blake roared at the top of his lungs as he charged straight at Fang, his lisp somehow gone. Maybe it was the adrenaline or the pure fear of dying like his teammates. Whatever it was, Blake’s last-ditch attempt caught everyone by surprise, even Fang.
"Hahaha! I like it!" Fang threw his head back and laughed, his voice wild and thunderous. "If death ever catches up to you, don’t beg... don’t kneel... stare it in the eye and greet it with a raised middle finger!"
While Fang believed that Blake wanted to go out with a courageous bang, Levi drew in a slow, steady breath. His world of darkness restored its peace as he shut out the noise, the shouts, the crackle of lightning, and the pounding footsteps. All that remained was the rhythm of his heart and the vast ocean of spiritual energy within him.
His consciousness spread across the spinning rope like an invisible web. He could feel it much more clearly now... the dormant traces of aetheric energy woven into everything. In an instant, his world of darkness was illuminated in green: the rope, the Giants, his allies, his enemies, and even the atmosphere.
Aether was everywhere. It only needed a call. A call from someone worthy to wield it.
’Maw... help me save him, please,’ Levi murmured inwardly.
The Soulleech Maw’s tongue emerged from his palm and turned toward Levi for a moment before focusing on Fang, Levi’s primary target. It might not understand much yet, but it could feel. At this moment, it felt Levi’s desire and desperation as if they were its own.
Without hesitation or doubt, the Soulleech Maw connected Levi to the Aether Realm on a superficial level... a level where he could sense aether energy and control it far more freely than he had at the start of the game.
The moment Levi felt the sudden change in the aether energy’s response, he imagined Fang’s body in the center of his palm.
Meanwhile, Fang’s extended claws were only a few meters away from slicing Blake’s head off. It felt as though Blake had already given up hope, thinking he was an idiot for putting his life in Levi’s hands, who was kilometers away.
’Ah... I am done for...’
However, just as he was about to have flashbacks of his life, the rope beneath them began to glow. At first, it was a faint green, but then the glow spread quickly from one end of the rope to the other, growing brighter in an instant!
Gamemaster Envy, the nightcrawlers, the daywalkers, and the viewers were all left stunned by the sudden emergence of such beautiful neon illumination.
Even Fang, the Bishops, and the powerful spectating echelon had their expressions change slightly. Before any of them could react, small green particles appeared out of nowhere, gathering around the rope like falling embers in reverse.
Levi stood at a distance, his body shaking as blood dripped slowly from his nose. Yet, his spiritual eyes were locked on Fang.
Then... he uttered coldly as he snapped his palm shut.
"Seal."
A massive palm formed from condensed aetheric energy, emerging directly from the rope and the atmosphere itself!
It was large enough to crush a plane, its fingers thick and solid despite being made of green light.
Yet, this was only the beginning...
The viewers were left stupefied at the sight of Fang’s sprinting body being seized at once by dozens of giant green palms! They appeared from everywhere... the rope’s surface, the sky, and even his own body!
Fang sensed it. But even with his immense speed, he could not evade aether energy that was connected to everything and everyone.
Just as his claws were about to pierce Blake’s neck, the giant palms and fists slammed into his body repeatedly!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Then, the giant green palms tightened all at once, locking around his limbs and torso. The air itself seemed to press down on him as more hands layered over the first ones, gripping his shoulders, waist, and ankles.
Fang’s attack stopped completely and instantly!
Under the stunned gazes of everyone, he was left frozen in place, suspended mid-motion, while Blake reflexively regained his balance and continued sliding away. He did not even bother to turn around and look at Fang, afraid that whatever had just happened might vanish if he did.
On the other hand, Levi staggered where he stood as more blood ran from his nose, staining his lips. His spiritual vision blurred for a moment, but he refused to loosen his control.
He could feel Fang’s immense resistance as he tried to break free from the entrapment. Levi could not let go until Blake had put enough distance between them.
"This... how is this possible..." Bishop Na’thir stood from his throne, too stunned to react at the sight of his proud subordinate being seized from kilometers away by a child!
A child who had yet to unlock his Dominion!
It was not just him who found this situation ridiculous. Even Gamemaster Envy was left with his mouth slightly agape as he stared at the aetheric storm brewing around Levi, whipping his clothes and turning his ethereal hair as green as the aether itself.
It felt as though he was witnessing the embodiment of aether in person!