The cracks shattering the ground spread like a spiderweb.
Ryo lay prone in the pile of rubble, her bones feeling as if they were falling apart, and every breath brought pain as if her internal organs were being torn.
Beads of blood slid down her forehead, blurring her vision, mixing with dust to form dark red marks on her cheeks.
Only the heart in her chest continued to beat stubbornly, thumping like a war drum that would never give up.
An unyielding will boiled within her battered, blood-soaked body.
First, her fingertips curled slightly, her nails digging deep into the cracks in the stone, forcibly prying out a small fragment.
Then, applying force with her wrists, her forearms trembled as she propped up her upper body, her elbows grinding against the ground with a harsh friction sound, the seeping blood instantly staining the rubble beneath her.
Her back arched like a bow pulled to its limit, every inch of muscle screaming in protest, yet she still relied on a fierce tenacity to slowly lift her knees.
Just then, a sudden change occurred—
A few slender streaks of crimson lightning appeared out of thin air, like dormant spirit snakes, carrying crackling thunder as they gently wrapped around her ankles.
The crimson lightning did not resemble anything mundane; it carried a scorching and majestic power, spreading upward along the lines of her skin.
Wherever it passed, the soreness and fatigue were slowly fading away.
In mid-air, the phantoms of the three goddesses froze in unison.
Surprise flashed in Godolphin Arabian’s azure eyes, Byerley Turk’s bright yellow pupils contracted slightly, and Darley Arabian’s crimson gaze was filled with disbelief—this was a celestial phenomenon that could only be triggered by a will that had transcended its limits, a power of transformation that even they had never seen before.
Ryo did not notice the goddesses’ astonishment.
Gritting her teeth, she used the support of the crimson lightning to straighten her spine, bit by bit.
Her figure still swayed like a lone tree on the verge of snapping in a gale, yet it exuded a stubbornness that would rather break than bend.
She slowly raised the back of her right hand, her knuckles turning white from the exertion, and with a touch of unruliness and casualness, she wiped hard against her left cheek—blood and dust were wiped away together, revealing the sharp, defined contours beneath.
What surged in the depths of her eyes was a determination to burn everything away.
“I am not alone.”
Her low voice was slightly hoarse, but it resonated with power.
As her voice fell, she slowly took her first step.
The crimson lightning surged instantly, wrapping around her calves as if plating her bones in a suit of thunder-patterned armor.
“Sirius!”
Power flowed in like a trickling stream, making this step steadier than she had expected.
On the second step, the crimson lightning climbed up her thighs, the crackling sound growing louder, and the air around her began to tremble slightly.
“Mr.
C.B.!”
Her speed quietly increased, and the rubble beneath her feet crunched loudly.
On the third step, the crimson lightning wrapped around her waist and abdomen like a solid belt, stabilizing her swaying figure.
“Air Groove!”
Her strength surged suddenly, and every footfall caused the ground to sink slightly.
On the fourth step, the crimson lightning crawled onto her shoulders, and it felt as if a pair of invisible thunder wings had unfurled behind her.
“Tojo Hana!”
A gale swept past, but it could no longer shake her stride.
On the fifth step, the crimson lightning wrapped around her arms, thunderous light flashing at her fists, with a faint sound of breaking the air.
“Maruzensky!”
Her speed increased again, and her figure left faint afterimages in the thunderous light.
On the sixth step, the crimson lightning climbed up her neck, and a majestic aura spread out from her body.
“Wind Chaser!”
The rubble beneath her feet shattered one after another, and the crimson lightning dragged long trails of light across the ground.
On the seventh step, the crimson lightning completely enveloped her, as if she were draped in a brilliant imperial robe, and the sound of the thunder storm resonated across heaven and earth.
“Rudolf!”
As this step landed, it directly triggered a slight sonic boom; the strength was so great that it had already transcended her previous limits.
Every time she called out a name, she took a step; with every step that landed, her strength grew stronger.
The crimson lightning gathered more and more around her, forming a dazzling thunder barrier that protected her in the center; rubble and broken branches that struck the barrier were instantly turned into powder.
While running, Ryo’s consciousness was suddenly pulled by a powerful force, falling into a strange inner space.
There was no sky here, no earth, only a golden racetrack extending infinitely.
At the end of the track floated a throne that towered into the clouds.
The throne was forged from an unknown metal and inlaid with countless brilliant gemstones, exuding a majesty that looked down upon the world; it was the supreme symbol belonging to the emperor.
It seemed close at hand, yet appeared to be far away, exuding an unattainable sacredness.
“That is…
my throne.”
The thoughts in her heart were completely set free, without the slightest hesitation, without a shred of doubt.
Ryo accelerated sharply, sprinting toward the throne.
The crimson lightning exploded within the inner space, turning into the driving force for her advancement; with every breath, she could feel her power climbing rapidly.
On both sides of the racetrack, familiar figures slowly appeared one by one—
The phantom of Sirius chased after her, her eyes resolute, standing on the left to escort her; the phantom of Mr.
C.B.
smiled, nodding vigorously at her, transmitting warm power; the phantom of Air Groove stood tall, like a solid backing, silently guarding her; the phantom of Tojo Hana waved in greeting, her eyes full of approval; the phantom of Maruzensky walked with light steps, moving side-by-side with her; the phantom of Wind Chaser stepped on the trajectory of the wind, guiding her direction; the phantom of Rudolf stood beneath the throne, reaching out a hand toward her, her eyes full of recognition.
The figures of her companions surrounded her, their auras intertwining with her power, turning into the most solid bonds, pushing her constantly forward.
The throne still seemed distant, but in her sprint, the distance was closing little by little.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the eyes of the three goddesses were locked tightly on the figure wrapped in crimson lightning.
Her speed was already at its limit; every step that landed could trigger a violent tremor in the ground, and the crimson lightning tore through the air, emitting a deafening thunderous roar.
The entire trial ground was trembling slightly under her power.
In the inner space, Ryo leaped, covered in thunderous light, and sat steadily upon that golden throne.
In an instant, endless power poured from the throne into her body, merging with the crimson lightning around her.
That power was vast and majestic, like a rushing river or sea, instantly filling her limbs and bones.
The previous fatigue and pain completely dissipated, replaced by a majesty and strength that looked down upon all living things.
In reality, Ryo suddenly raised her head—
Her red hair fluttered wildly in the thunderstorm, like burning flames; crimson flames and lightning ignited in her right pupil, the light as sharp as an eagle’s, as if it could pierce through everything; the white breath exhaled from her mouth condensed into mist in the cold air, slowly dissipating with her breathing.
“Boom!”
The crimson lightning erupted completely at this moment, like a volcanic eruption, instantly breaking through the shackles of the trial ground and triggering a deafening sonic boom.
The gale was overturned by this power, and the rocks on both sides of the track shattered one after another.
Amidst the swirling dust, her figure became increasingly tall and straight, like a true emperor descending.
“I am the emperor!”
Her voice rang out like thunder, carrying supreme majesty, resounding through heaven and earth, making the air hum with the vibration.
“Not to be challenged!
Not to be profaned!
Not to be disobeyed!”
Every word carried majestic power; the crimson lightning exploded between heaven and earth along with her words, forming massive thunder scars, as if proclaiming the emperor’s majesty.
“The supreme emperor cannot fall here!”
The aura around Ryo grew increasingly powerful, surrounded by thunderstorms, looking down on the world as if everything in the world had to submit at her feet.
“Any rebellion or resistance, I will erase it completely with divine punishment!”
As her voice fell, the crimson lightning completely swept through the entire trial ground, illuminating heaven and earth in a crimson hue.
The phantoms of the three goddesses nodded slowly, their eyes full of satisfaction and approval.
“Will tempered, thunder-forged imperial body; this is the true emperor,” Godolphin Arabian said softly, her azure eyes full of approval.
“Bonds as the foundation, power as the wings; the future is promising,” Byerley Turk echoed, her bright yellow gaze filled with gratification.
“The trial is passed, the emperor descends, the pinnacle of the extreme,” Darley Arabian’s voice carried a hint of majesty, and her crimson phantom slowly dissipated.
As the words of the three goddesses fell, the crimson lightning gradually converged, pouring into Ryo’s body.
She felt a wave of intense fatigue wash over her, her vision went black, and she lost consciousness.
…
When she opened her eyes again, what came into view was the familiar ceiling.
Sunlight shone through the window, spilling onto the bedding, warm and cozy, carrying the fresh scent unique to the morning.
Ryo slowly sat up, subconsciously touching her body—the wounds that had previously covered her had long since disappeared without a trace, her skin smooth and delicate, without leaving a single scar, as if that tragic trial had just been a dream.
But when she clenched her fist, a majestic power condensed in her palm, and the crimson lightning flashed and vanished at her fingertips, carrying the familiar scorching heat and majesty.
Deep in her heart, the phantom of that golden throne flickered in and out of existence, and the auras of her companions lingered around her, reminding her that everything last night was not an illusion.
She had truly awakened, becoming that high and mighty, unparalleled emperor.
The power remained, the bonds were eternal, and the path of the emperor began from here.